June 6, 2023

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

Canadian left-hander Mitch Bratt pitched five scoreless innings for the Texas Rangers’ Hickory Crawdads on May 30 to earn his first win at the High-A level and lead his club to a 5-1 victory over the Greenville Drive.

It was the Newmarket, Ont., native’s eighth start of the season for the Crawdads. He had entered the game with a tough-luck 0-2 record despite a healthy 3.49 ERA.

The first inning started out with Bratt striking out the leadoff batter but he loaded the bases via two singles and a walk, putting the pressure on the 2021 fifth-round pick. He would escape without allowing a run, getting Eddinson Paulino to ground out to third base. The second inning was clean for Bratt, as he struck out two batters on called strikes but had to battle in each plate appearance, with each batter seeing seven or more pitches.

Blaze Jordan, the Red Sox 10th ranked prospect via MLB Pipeline, would collect a two-out double off of Bratt in the third inning but the Toronto Mets alum once again put up a zero on the scoreboard, getting Bryan Gonzalez to pop out to end the inning.

Bratt would pitch a clean fourth and fifth inning and was pulled prior to the sixth inning, in line for the win as the Crawdads were able to put up five runs for their starter. That would be all the run support the club would need, as the Crawdads’ relief core would only allow one run, giving Bratt his first win in High-A.

In total, Bratt allowed just four hits and struck out five through five innings, facing 21 batters while throwing 76 pitches (64.4% strike rate).

Bratt is once again having a solid campaign in the Rangers’ organization, as the starter pitched to a 2.45 ERA through 19 outings and 80 2/3 innings last season with the Low-A Down East Wood Ducks. After his start against Greenville, the Newmarket native saw his ERA drop to 2.97 on the season.

He followed up that start by allowing three runs in two innings in his next outing to the same Greenville squad on Sunday. His season record now stands at 1-3 with a 3.57 ERA in nine starts.

Compared to his Crawdads’ rotation counterparts, Bratt sits second in terms of ERA, with the left-hander allowing just 14 earned runs on the season. Pitching against players roughly four years older, this was the second time this season that Bratt has reached the five-inning mark and the third outing this season where he has allowed zero earned runs.

Earlier this season, Bratt found himself on the national stage, as Team Canada manager Ernie Whitt called upon the 6-foot-1 Rangers prospect to face the potent United States squad in their second contest of the tournament, setting up a “David vs. Goliath” scenario at the World Baseball Classic.

When the dust settled, Bratt was out after 25 pitches (to save him for another day in the tournament via the pitch limit rules) but the teenager was tagged for six earned runs with three walks and just one out on record. It was a mammoth task for Bratt, facing a lineup that featured superstars such as Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Paul Goldschmidt, but it put his name on the map as a pitcher not being afraid to take on the challenge and one to watch not only for Team Canada for future World Baseball Classic tournaments but also in the Rangers organization.

Ranked as the 16th top prospect in the Rangers organization via MLB Pipeline, Bratt’s campaign so far in 2023 is on par for his record since turning pro following the 2021 draft.

Utilizing a mix of a low-90s fastball and off-speed offerings in a curveball, slider, and a changeup, Bratt’s repeatable delivery and continued success should see him continue to start and makes you forget that he hasn’t hit the age of 20 just yet and is currently in his third year with the Rangers.

Through 32 games (27 starts) since his debut in 2021, Bratt owns a 2.66 ERA through 122 innings with a stellar 1.172 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, and a 11.4 K/9.

While there is still time for Bratt to develop and climb the minor league ladder, if he continues to strike batters out and hold the walks off like he currently is, there is a chance Bratt will be in double-A by the end of the year and potentially knocking on the MLB door in a couple of years time.