Justin Cassel is doing his share at Birmingham
MINOR LEAGUE SPOTLIGHT
Southern California has produced more than its share of major league players. In this space, we'll take a look at how Southland players are faring in the minors. This week: the double-A Southern League.
One of the reasons the Birmingham Barons are leading the Southern League's five-team South Division is pitching. Their team earned-run average of 3.40 ranks second in the 10-team league. The Carolina Mudcats lead the league at 3.29.
A key member of the Barons' starting rotation is Justin Cassel, the Chicago White Sox's seventh-round pick in the 2006 draft from UC Irvine.
On Monday night, Cassel, a right-hander, defeated West Tennessee, 7-2, to improve his record to 3-2 and lower his ERA to 3.32. He pitched six innings and limited the Diamond Jaxx to three hits and two runs while striking out five.
In all, Cassel has made eight starts. In 43 1/3 innings, he has yielded 38 hits (no home runs) while striking out 29 and walking 17. Opponents are batting .248 against him.
On May 2 he recorded a career-high nine strikeouts in seven scoreless innings while yielding five hits as the Barons defeated the Mobile BayBears, 4-2. The win, which gave him a 2-1 record, was the fourth consecutive start in which he did not give up an earned run, a streak covering 23 1/3 innings.
During the streak, Cassel reduced his ERA to 1.38, which at the time ranked fifth in the league.
In his previous start, a 4-2 victory over the Montgomery Biscuits on April 26, Cassel pitched six shutout innings while limiting the Biscuits to four hits.
For those two performances, he was named the league's pitcher of the week for the week ending May 4.
"It's a little bit of luck," Cassel told MLB.com. "I'm a sinkerballer, so I just try to throw as many strikes as I can and trust my defense. It's just the game. Sometimes you'll go out and give up 15 hits and the next day those hits are right to a guy."
He also credits the guidance he receives from older brother Jack, who pitches for triple-A Round Rock of the Pacific Coast League, for much of his success.
"Jack is also a sinkerballer, so I really feed off of him," he said. "We talk very often, almost every other day. We talk about our outings; he has been in the Southern League and I think it's really beneficial to me."
Jack Cassel, who pitched for Mobile from 2004 to 2006, has also pitched in majors with the San Diego Padres and this season with the Houston Astros. His other brother, Matt, is the backup quarterback for the New England Patriots.
Justin Cassel was roughed up in his next start, on May 7 against Montgomery. The Biscuits won, 16-10. Cassel pitched 4 2/3 innings and yielded eight hits and nine runs -- all earned.
