Payton Tolle moved from Double-A Portland to Triple-A Worcester after 27 innings with a 1.67 ERA and a 37 percent strikeout rate. Tolle has 86 professional innings across three levels and remains a candidate for a late-season major-league call-up. Comparisons were made to other pitchers who reached the majors with limited minor-league seasoning, though those players are described as outliers. Sea Dogs manager Chad Epperson praised Tolle's competitiveness and intangibles, calling him a potential "can't-miss" big leaguer. Tolle stands 6'6" and 250 pounds, with a low arm slot and extension and a college fastball averaging 91 mph.
Though he will enter Friday's start for the WooSox with just 86 innings of professional experience across three levels, the Sox acknowledge that a late-season call-up is being contemplated. Obviously, there are pitchers who have reached the big leagues with little minor league seasoning. Garrett Crochet never pitched an official minor league game before getting called up by the White Sox in 2020. Paul Skenes pitched 34 minor league innings before the Pirates summoned him. David Price had thrown a little more than 100 when the Rays called him up in 2008 to contribute down the stretch and in the postseason. Those pitchers are outliers. The Sox believe Tolle might be one, as well.
This is hard for me to say. But this guy, he's a Jonny Lester-type guy to me can't-miss, dominant, big leaguer, said Epperson, who's worked in the Sox system since 2002. He's a rat. He just wants information. He wants to be around this. And I think those intangibles there, and with the talent, this guy's going to be really, really special.
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