Cory Riordan is a 6-4 200 right-hander that was drafted in the 6th round in 2007. The 26 year old has basically been turned into somewhat of an organizational swingman/starter/innings eater. As one could have deduced from his K/BB numbers back in college, control has been his best asset in the minors, rarely walking even close to 6% of the batters he faces. He has split this year between AA and AAA, and has actually been more effective in AAA according to FIP, being used more as a starter. His SIERA is virtually the same between the two leagues (as he saw a huge spike in homers not in the PCL but the Texas League, which seems statistically fluky). In AAA he has an okay ground-ball rate and a solid line drive rate.
Riordan has a slightly under average fastball at 90 MPH. He is sort of the soft-tossing righty type, and the lack of fastball and put away pitch keeps him from perhaps even being a big leaguer.
He throws a lot of change-ups at 80 MPH with solid movement. He can throw it low and for strikes, but his command probably isn't as sharp as it needs to be.
The curveball is unimpressive, and he tries to use it as his out pitch after setting up hitters with the changeup.
Matt Langwell of the Indians' AAA was picked in the 11th round by Cleveland in the 2008 draft out of Rice. After getting a short shot to start in the New York Penn League, he was quickly transitioned into a reliever which he has been his whole career. At age 26, he was one of the top strikeout artists in the International League this season.
I went back and watched him to see if there was anything there. The fastball is straight and just 89-90 MPH. He also throws what looks like a tailing fastball at 86-87 MPH along with an 82 MPH change. The changeup is his strikeout pitch as it has late dip. His command isn't even that great, so I really don't see how he can get out MLB hitters. Those familiar with AAA baseball know that it doesn't necessarily take great stuff to get a lot of strikeouts.
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