A big 6-foot-7 righty is next on our countdown in Notre Dame pitcher Joe Boyle.
As a freshman in 2018 he only threw two innings for Notre Dame and really struggled with command walking 8 batters.
That summer he pitched in 7 games in the Northwoods League and 7 innings in the Cape Cod League to get some work in and struck out 25 batters in 12.1 innings.
He continued to struggle with walks as a sophomore issuing 27 free passes in just 25.2 innings, but he showed why he is such a promising prospect by striking out 39 batters and allowing just 14 hits in those innings.
Boyle continued to show that promise in the Cape Cod League this past summer with a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings with 28 strikeouts and a pair of saves. He id walk 12 batters, but he was nearly unhittable giving up just 5 hits.
The intrigue for Boyle is obvious. He has a big frame, a flaming fastball, and dominant stuff on the mound.
But like many talented pitching prospects, his last hurdle will be learning to control his plus offerings.
If he can do that, he’ll become one of the best relief pitchers in the country in 2020.
