St. Louis Cardinals Player Projections: Austin Gomber

Even with the signing of Andrew Miller, Austin Gomber might still be the most valuable lefty the St. Louis Cardinals have. After proving he can hold his own in a unique role as a rookie, the future looks bright for Gomber.

While Austin Gomber‘s numbers aren’t anything too impressive, they are quite serviceable for a rookie in the position that Gomber was. He was used as a reliever and a spot starter by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018, with 18 relief appearances and 11 starts in 2018. Considering he was a rookie, his adaptability was impressive.

His 4.44 ERA might not lead you to believe that, but he was an important asset for the Cardinals in 2018 with his flexibility. The main issue with him was his 9.8 H/9 that he allowed, but some hiccups are expected from a rookie. He also had a somewhat high 3.8 BB/9, but both of these numbers should gradually drop as Gomber gets more comfortable.

The big question is how Gomber will be used in 2019. With the way the team is constructed, it is not outside of the realm of possibility for Gomber to serve the same hybrid role that he did last year, especially considering that Andrew Miller is now an available lefty from the ‘pen

This is how ZiPS sees next season for Gomber, and it doesn’t think that the constant role changes will be healthy for his development in 2019.

Even with his role up in the air and an increased innings load, I am hoping that Gomber improves his performance. While this projection has Gomber mildly improving his walk rate (3.7 BB/9) and hit rate (9.0 H/9), it doesn’t translate overall due to regressions in categories, particularly his HR rate (1.2 HR/9).

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Gomber’s stuff can be effective, but he needs to be able to locate it. While his biggest mistakes come more outside of the strike zone, his inability to really get a handle on his pitches had held him back. While a 57% strike zone rate with his four seam fastball doesn’t seem to be too bad, his arsenal as a whole still needs to improve its consistency for Gomber to make progress.

With a new regime and a second year under Mike Maddux, that’s exactly the kind of progress I am expecting. Besides Jordan Hicks, Gomber might be the most valuable young pitcher in the St. Louis Cardinals organization because of his power build as a left handed pitcher, and I expect the Cardinals coaching staff to treat him like it.

My Prediction: 135 IP, 9-7, 4.26 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 118 K, 60 BB, 15 HR

Out of all the less hyped prospects the St. Louis Cardinals currently have, I think I am most excited by Gomber’s potential because of his unique blend of talents. At just 25 years old, he has plenty of time to grow into his own, but seeing steps towards that in 2019 would be a huge help towards the 2019 St. Louis Cardinals playoff push.