Is the next Pedro Martinez already pitching in Major League Baseball? Pedro Martinez seems to think so.
Oakland Athletics prospect Jharel Cotton’s first start of the season was rough, as the right-hander gave up five earned runs on eight hits and two walks over just 4 1/3 innings in a 5-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels on April 5. But Cotton bounced back in a big way Monday, tossing seven shutout innings and allowing just two hits to the Kansas City Royals.
The outing prompted Martinez to take to Twitter to fawn over the 25-year-old Virgin Islands native.
Jharel Cotton reminds me a lot of myself. Nasty change up, nice cutter, same arm angle and rotation, and same grip I used to have.
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) April 11, 2017
Cotton was born the same day I made my debut, 1992, wears #45, and sadly was traded by the Dodgers…oh well! Good signs indeed!!
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) April 11, 2017
Cotton has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter with a plus fastball and changeup, as well as a slider and cutter that need work. But with Martinez’s “good signs” on his side, maybe Cotton will be better than projected.
Thumbnail photo via Peter G. Aiken/USA TODAY Sports Images
