There’s not much “minor league” about G-Braves pitcher starting Mike Minor. The former Vanderbilt lefthander was drafted two years ago this week by Atlanta with the seventh overall pick in the Major League draft. Since, he’s made the most of those 24 months. Called up/south to Atlanta late last summer, he won three games as a starter. Appropriately, Minor now lives between his future clubhouse at Turner Field and his temporary clubhouse at Coolray Field in Lawrenceville.
Coming off his second International League Pitcher of week – he’s also made three spot starts for Atlanta over two call-ups – honors, Minor took a few minutes to speak with Score Atlanta. Here’s a chance to get to know the 6-foot-4 southpaw before he joins Atlanta’s rotation for good.
Minor on what’s working for him this year: I’m basically throwing strikes, throwing inside a bit, throwing the fastball with location. Everything else is working off of that.
On his pitching repertoire: [My fastball is] topping out at about 95 on a good day. That’s pretty much tops right there, high as I’m gonna get. Change-up is my best off-speed pitch, and right now, I’m working on a slurve. That was working great the other day. They (the G-Braves coaches) made me throw it to every other hitter. That’s been working good for me.
On if he takes his hitting very seriously like the Atlanta starters: I’m the same way. The other day I struck out. The guy was good, but it was low 90’s, something I could handle. He gave it to me pretty much right down the middle, and I missed it. I was pretty upset about that. But, I did get my sac[rifice] bunt down and got a base hit in my first at bat.
On what he likes about living inside the Perimeter: I like the diversity of people because I come from a small town. You come here and there’s all different types of people. I live in Buckhead, which is a wealthier area, but you still see homeless people and all the different ethnicities of people. The way they dress, the way they go about things is different to me.
On what kind of music a “small town” guy from central Tennessee prefers: I’m actually not a country music guy. I’m actually more of an alternative rock, R and B, rap kind of guy.
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