Any pitcher will tell you how vital getting ahead of batters and pitching effectively in the strikezone is, but Orioles prospect Alex Wells took it to another level this season.
In a campaign that on Tuesday earned him the 2017 Jim Palmer minor league pitcher of the year award in the Orioles organization, Wells posted a 2.38 ERA with 113 strikeouts and just 10 walks, including none in his last 68 innings. His 0.91 WHIP was the lowest of any minor league pitcher with at least 20 starts this year, and his season with Low-A Delmarva was a five-month study in how rare it is for a pitcher to live in the strikezone and not get punished for it.