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Tampa Bay Rays: Leaders in Pitching Development
The Rays are often cited as having the best pitching development program, with a strategy that simplifies the complex art of pitching. According to The Athletic (March 6, 2024), their approach centers on throwing strike one and believing in their pitchers’ stuff, emphasizing process over results. They use internal metrics to evaluate pitch execution, showing pitchers highlight reels of their best pitches (e.g., best curveball, slider, changeup) twice a week to build confidence. This has led to consistent success, with the Rays ranking in the top six for staff ERA every year since 2018 under pitching coach Kyle Snyder.
• Key Examples: Tyler Glasnow, developed into a star under the Rays, along with Blake Snell, David Price, and James Shields, as noted in Battery Power (May 19, 2017), contributing to a total WAR of 98 since 2006.
• Strategy Details: The Rays focus on data-driven coaching, with Snyder visiting pitchers off-season for dinners to build trust, and encouraging a 95% positive result rate for first-pitch quality strikes, leading to a 0.266 on-base percentage for hitters after 0-1 counts versus 0.380 after 1-0 (The Athletic, 2024).
• Recent Performance: Despite injuries to Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Jeffrey Springs (all recovering from elbow surgery), and trading Glasnow, the Rays aim for a traditional five-man rotation in 2025, likely opening with Zach Eflin, Aaron Civale, Zack Littell, Ryan Pepiot, and Taj Bradley.

Interesting read if its your thing.