Former Hays High and University of Houston star pitcher Donnie Joseph is quickly making his way through the Cincinnati Reds minor league system as one of the organization’s best young talents. (Photo courtesy of Lynchburg Hillcats)
by ANDREW AFRICK
Lynchburg Hillcats
When Donnie Joseph takes the mound, he says he only has one thing on his mind – a strikeout.
He doesn’t care if the batter is swinging through one of his 93 mile-per-hour pitches, or watching one go straight into the catcher’s mitt.
“Of course, the most important thing is getting outs, but a certain goal that I have is to strike people out,” said Joseph, a former Hays High star who was drafted in the third round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2009. “It helps me stay focused and helps me attack the zone and throw every pitch with intensity.”
And in 2010, his stats tell the same tale. Joseph started the season in the minor leagues with the Low Class-A Dayton team and struck out 40 batters in 23 innings. Since his promotion to the Advanced Class-A team in Lynchburg on May 29, he’s still averaged almost two strikeouts per inning pitched.
The reason? He says it’s his slider.
“My slider is my best pitch,” Joseph said. “I like to get ahead of hitters so I can put them away with it.”
At Dayton and Lynchburg, Joseph has excelled in the important closer’s role he also thrived in during his college years at the University of Houston.
Joseph posted six saves at Dayton, and posted a microscopic earned run average of 0.78. Through 20 appearances with Lynchburg, his ERA is 2.19, and he has nine saves in 10 opportunities.
But entering ballgames in the ninth inning to slam the door on games wasn’t always something Joseph had in mind.
When he was a junior at the University of Houston, Joseph started the season in the rotation. He made one start before moving to the bullpen.
“Early in the year, I didn’t know what role I would be in,” Joseph said. “I started a couple games and figured out with my pitching coach that the closing role was where I fit best. I moved to that role and had success so I stayed there and I like it.”
And his current coaches like it too.
“He’s an exciting pitcher,” Hillcats manager Pat Kelly said. “He gets a lot of swings and misses and I think that’s what you’re looking for in your major league bullpen.”
And in terms of when his major league debut will be, Kelly says it’s up to Joseph himself. But Cincinnati Reds pitching coordinator Mack Jenkins says that it could happen pretty quickly.
“He’s just got to tighten up his delivery and trust his fastball more,” Jenkins said. “When that happens, I’m sure the people of Lynchburg will be reading about this guy pitching in Cincinnati.”
