Five breakout candidates for the 2015 Oakland Athletics
By Matt McHugh
Jul 25, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Jesse Hahn (45) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Turner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Jesse Hahn
Right now, it seems like Hahn is a probable candidate for one of the openings at the back end of the rotation. By the end of the year, I predict we’ll be talking about the powerful Sonny Gray/Jesse Hahn 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation.
Hahn pitched well in 14 games with the Padres last season, and was even better in the minors. His 3.40 FIP and 8.6 K/9 are signs that his strong rookie year was not a fluke. His career minor league K/9 is 8.8, so that’s just more evidence that his performance last year is sustainable.
Hahn’s most effective pitch is his Barry Zito-like massive curveball. When a starting pitcher has a huge strikeout weapon like that, it’s fair to expect great things. My prediction is that he finishes the year with an ERA around 3.00 and finishes among the top 25 pitchers in the league in WAR.
Next: Kendall Graveman