Three Starting Pitchers Return to Florence
April 27, 2016 - Frontier League (FL)
Florence Y'alls News Release
Florence, Ky. - The Florence Freedom are happy to announce that three pitchers with starting experience are returning to Florence in 2016.
Patrick McGrath, Zach Wendorf, and Cody Gray return a combined 25 starts from last season, many of them in the Freedom's push to the postseason.
The Freedom signed McGrath after he finished a stellar career with Belmont University that included two victories over Vanderbilt. After joining the team in late July, the left hander made eight starts, posting a 2-2 record and a 2.72 ERA in 39.2 innings. McGrath allowed fewer than three earned runs in seven of his eight starts, while striking out 20 and walking 11.
Since he threw over 75 innings at Belmont last spring, Pelfrey and the Freedom coaching staff had to limit his pitch count over the summer. With McGrath coming into this season fresh, Pelfrey is excited to see what the left hander can do in a full Frontier League summer.
"We were looking for a left-handed starter last year and Patrick's two wins over Vanderbilt in 2014 really jumped off the page," Pelfrey said. "Those wins show me that he is a competitor and, without a pitch limit, we expect him to go deeper into ballgames and be a force in our starting rotation."
After being signed by the Schaumburg Boomers out of the 2015 California Winter League, Wendorf was released mid-season and then picked up by the Freedom in July. His first appearance in a Freedom uniform came against Schaumburg and Wendorf tossed two shutout innings in a 7-5 Florence victory. The right-handed pitcher made five appearances out of the Freedom bullpen, allowing just three runs in 8.2 innings before moving to the starting rotation. He went 2-0 as a starter, including leading Florence to another victory over the Boomers.
Pelfrey was impressed by Wendorf's success (2.94 ERA) in such a versatile role and likes what that adds to the Freedom pitching staff.
"Zach is a guy who can eat up innings in many different roles," Pelfrey said. "His ability to start, pitch in long relief, or shut down an inning will be key for our pitching staff."
Gray, like McGrath, also joined the Freedom right out of his stellar collegiate career. In 12 starts for Florence, he posted a 4-2 record with a 4.03 ERA and 48 strikeouts to just 16 walks. He won his first three decisions of 2015, allowing just one run over three starts (17.1 innings) against Traverse City, Rockford, and Lake Erie.
"Cody came in and solidified our rotation right out of his time at Northwood University," Pelfrey said. "He was a bulldog for Northwood, but we kept him on a pitch count last year because of all the innings he threw in the spring. This season, we expect him to go deeper into ballgames and be the force he was at Northwood."
The Freedom begin their 2016 campaign at home against the Windy City Thunderbolts on May 13th at 7:05 p.m.
Frontier League Stories from April 27, 2016
- CornBelters Announce Weekly Promotional Schedule - Normal CornBelters
- Three Starting Pitchers Return to Florence - Florence Y'alls
- Gateway Grizzlies Sign Four at Tryout Camp Including Lindenwood-Belleville Grad - Gateway Grizzlies
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