Selected by the Orioles in the third round of the 2011 MLB June Amateur Draft, right handed pitcher Mike Wright made his fifth start with Double-A Bowie on Sunday evening.
In just 12 games (eight of them starts) with three different teams last season, Wright posted a 3-2 record with a 5.72 ERA and 4.20 K/BB ratio in 45.2 innings pitched.
He began his 2012 campaign in High-A Frederick, tearing through the Carolina League over his eight starts on the mound. Prior to his call-up to the Baysox on May 25, Wright had posted a 5-2 record with a 2.91 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 46.1 innings. Wright’s five quality starts and streak of 26.2 innings without surrendering a walk got the attention of scouts.
Wright’s Double-A debut came on May 25, the day he received the call-up, when he was roughed up by the Altoona Curve. Atloona carved Wright up for five runs (four earned) over his six innings pitched.
Four days following his second start–5.1 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 2 K/2 BB in losing effort vs. Reading Phillies–Wright was placed on the disabled list after injuring his hamstring. He missed a little over a month, finally returning to the rotation on July 12.
In each of his last two starts Wright was on the mound for just three innings, pitching three scoreless with three strikeouts in his return, and then surrendered five runs on seven hits five days later against Erie.
It wasn’t until Sunday evening, in his five scoreless innings against the Binghamton Mets (46-54), that Wright started to get back to his true form while on the hill.
In a winning effort, Wright struck out two batters and allowed only three batters on base. Behind Wright’s impressive outing, the ‘Sox (51-49) captured its third consecutive victory and fourth over the last five games.
“It felt great,” Wright said following his first win since joining Bowie. “My stuff was really good, I thought.”
While getting some help from a nice defensive effort that produced four double plays, and two home runs from catcher Caleb Joseph, Wright forced batters to chase pitches out of the zone and limited damage in the 6-2 win.
“I realized I have to throw more quality pitches, and I certainly did that (tonight),” Wright continued. “All the way through I felt really good, my change up and location was great.”
His 1-3 record and 5.64 ERA with the Baysox doesn’t tell the whole story. Wright showed he is fully recovered from the injury sustained in June and, if Sunday’s success is telling of his future, the 22-year old may find himself with Triple-A Norfolk by season’s end.
