FREDERICK-Kyson Witherspoon didn’t have much time to process the trade that changed his pro career. One week he was on the mound for Greenville against Asheville. Not long after, he was headed to the Orioles organization as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Adley Rutschman and Jake Rogers to Boston.
The 22-year-old right-hander said Thursday he had at least some sense it could happen.
“There was some anticipation that I could be part of a trade,” he said on Thursday. “You can’t expect the feelings you get along with the call.”
The swap also sent 19-year-old outfielder Enddy Azocar, 21-year-old right-handed starter Anthony Eyanson and major league catcher Carlos Narváez to Baltimore. Then on Wednesday, 18-year-old outfielder Harold Rivas was added as the player to be named later.
Witherspoon is one of the key pieces Baltimore got back, joining a prospect group that includes Orioles top draft pick Eric Boot Jr. as the system’s top name. Witherspoon slots in at No.
12, Eyanson is No. 2, Azocar is No. 9 and Rivas is No.
For now, he’s still settling in. That process really started once he got to Frederick, where he’ll make his next start Friday night against Bowling Green at Nymeo Field at Harry Grove Stadium. His first outing for High-A Frederick came on the road last Saturday at Jersey Shore, where he gave up one run on five hits over 4 1/3 innings with five walks and three strikeouts.
Because that debut came away from home, Witherspoon said the move didn’t fully feel real until he reached his new clubhouse.
“My first week with them, it felt kind of surreal,” he said. “Even throwing that week, it didn’t feel very real. Being here, being in this facility, it’s all settling in now.”
The Orioles’ pitching staff is taking the patient route with him. Keys pitching coach Jordie Henry said the early focus is on helping Witherspoon get comfortable rather than trying to remake him.
“When you get a guy from a trade, you try to gather all the context you can,” Henry said. “And we have a lot of objective data, too that helps us out, but the first few weeks here for Kyson are to help him get acclimated to a new org, help him get comfortable in the clubhouse, help him get comfortable executing his daily routine that he feels works for him, and on my end and the pitching department’s end, learning about him a little bit more.
“And not try and tweak a whole bunch of things and take him away from his identity.”
Henry won’t have a long runway this season. Minor league pitchers usually work on five days’ rest, and Frederick’s regular season ends Sept. 6, though there could be postseason innings after that.
“For him, a period of getting comfortable, and for us, learn about him for a little while, maybe start to turn some dials in the future,” Henry said.
Witherspoon, in his first professional season after being drafted out of Oklahoma, has already logged a heavy workload. He’s 3-5 with a 4.72 ERA in 18 starts, striking out 81 and walking 39 across 79 2/3 innings.
He’s also trying not to get swallowed up by the expectations that come with being a first-round pick.
“I think the pressure is really a privilege,” he said. “I’m kind of held [in] high regard.
I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all. I think it’s trying to keep me to my own standards and my standards have got me to where I’m at right now, so I’m kind of sticking to my own process and going day-by-day.”
The biggest adjustment, he said, has been learning how to pitch with more than one or two weapons. At this level, overpowering hitters isn’t enough.
“You have to be more of a complete pitcher here,” he said. “You need three pitchers to be able to attack hitters.
You can’t really get by with one or two anymore to overpower guys. These guys have seen some of the best already come up through the system.
“It’s being a bit more polished, learning the zone, getting ahead early. You’ve got to attack guys here.”
Witherspoon said his splitter and cutter are his best pitches, and he’s confident he can still compete even when everything isn’t crisp.
“I’ll go out there, give my best, even if I don’t have my A-stuff,” Witherspoon said. “Whatever I’ve got that day, I’m going to go after it, keep competing, put my team in the best position to win.”
And with Camden Yards just an hour away, he knows there’s more ahead if he keeps trimming the edges.
“I think I’m just a couple of adjustments away, just getting back to my best,” Witherspoon said. “I can’t really put a time limit on it, but hopefully it’s here very soon.”
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