ASU Baseball: Heavy competition for the Sunday starter job

(Photo: Kimmy Davis/WCSN)

Brett Lilek is set to start on Fridays. Ryan Kellogg is Tracy Smith’s starter on Saturdays. However, the pitcher who will toe the rubber on Sundays remains a mystery.

The Sunday starter is the final starter in the regular three-man rotation, and the spot is usually filled by upperclassmen looking for a bounce back season or younger players trying to prove themselves.

The two guys who fit those descriptions for ASU baseball are senior right-hander Darrin Gillies and sophomore right-hander Seth Martinez.

Gillies had possession of the job last season and threw 71 2/3 innings in the role. Despite his experience, he posted just a 4.90 ERA in 14 starts, but did show positive strides in Pac-12 play, posting a 3.46 ERA.

“Gillies has a legitimate three-pitch mix, and can get up to 91, but must show more consistency moving forward after striking out just 50, and walking 35 last season,” D1baseball.com said.

The other candidate, Martinez, is a local product hailing from Peoria. In his freshman season, he was the primary midweek starter, as former manager Tim Esmay started him in seven games. Martinez also appeared five times out of the bullpen.

The right-hander posted a 4.32 ERA and did not lose a game all of last season. His best outing came during Regional play when he relieved an injured Brett Lilek and threw 6 1/3 innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven hitters.

When comparing the two, Gillies has the definite edge as far as experience goes. His 25 career starts won’t go unnoticed when Tracy Smith decides who gets the job. Despite his inconsistencies, the experience he brings to the table is invaluable.

On the other hand, Martinez is an appealing option due to his potential. He will be in a Sun Devil uniform for at least the next two years, but the time may be now to insert him into the weekend rotation. It would not be a stretch to say that he could be a candidate for the Friday starter spot next season, and easing him into that role by starting him on Sundays this season is very feasible.

While Gillies and Martinez figure to be the primary candidates to earn the job, other names may be in the conversation.

“I would say there are more guys in consideration than Gillies and Martinez,” said Smith. “We’re trying to win Friday and we’re going to try to win Saturday and then we’ll see what’s available on Sunday. We have a lot of options. Nobody in my mind has clearly established himself as a number three, and that’s not a bad thing.”

Though Smith didn’t specify which other pitchers are receiving consideration, possible contenders for the Sunday starter job are freshmen Tucker Baca and Reagan Todd.

Baca is one of the more hyped freshman pitchers on the team. He was a 32nd-round pick in the 2014 draft by the Braves. The left-hander’s strong showings in practices and scrimmages have made him a part of the conversation.

Perhaps a dark horse in the competition is Reagan Todd. Like Baca, he is a left-hander and a heralded freshman. Todd delivered a strong outing in the Maroon and Gold World Series and Smith may decide that he is worth a look on Sundays.

The situation will be monitored closely in the coming days, but may ultimately be a game-time decision come Sunday.

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