Friday, July 29, 2011

Welcome Wagon: Josh Zeid

The third player already named (with one to be named later - how does "Elroy" sound?) is RHP Josh Zeid. Zeid is huge, 6'5", 210lbs, 24 years old, from New Haven, Connecticut, drafted in the 10th Round of the 2009 draft.

Zeid started things off in the NYPL, throwing 79.2IP in 15 starts for Williamsport, allowing 64H/26ER, 72K:20BB, with one HR allowed. In 2010, he moved up to the South Atlantic League, throwing 107.1IP, 95H/35ER, 111K:27BB (2.93 ERA / 1.14 WHIP). Zeid skipped High-A, and went to Double-A reading, where he's pitched in 21 games - 11 as a starter, but with six games finished - and had a rough go of it. In 63.2IP, he has allowed 63H/40ER, 56K:27BB, for a 5.65 ERA / 1.41 WHIP, and nine homers allowed.

Here's a Q&A Zeid did with Phuture Phillies, and John Sickels had this to say back in March:

Zeid has a 90-94 MPH fastball and a good slider, and he worked on his changeup in the Fall League. He's thrown strikes so far... Phillies fans are aware of this guy, but he's under-the-radar nationally and overshadowed by younger pitchers in the system (Cosart, Colvin, May, etc). His performance last year merits close attention, and he's not some junk-ball trickster, he's got solid stuff.

Kevin Goldstein noted:
Since moving to the bullpen at Double-A Reading in early June, Josh Zeid has gone 16 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 24 K.