A Joe Palumbo update

Texas Rangers pitcher Joe Palumbo was back on the mound today for the Down East Wood Ducks, six days after an abbreviated outing that saw him roughed up for four runs early on in a three inning stint. Palumbo was much better in today’s high-A matinee, throwing 76 pitches in 5 innings of work, striking out 6, walking no one, allowing two infield singles, two regular singles, and a two run home run.

Palumbo is working his way back from April, 2017, Tommy John surgery, which had him on the shelf for the first part of this year. This is his third start this year for the DEWDs, and he’s logged 13 innings for them, with 10 Ks, 1 walk, and 2 home runs allowed. I’d expect him to finish out the year with Down East, possibly get some work in the Arizona Fall League, and start the 2019 season with AA Frisco.

Palumbo, 23 year old who was the team’s 30th round pick in the 2013 draft, is considered one of the team’s top pitching prospects, and if he stays healthy, he could end up in the majors next year at some point. There are questions about whether he’s big enough to hold up in the rotation (he’s listed at 6’1”, 168 lbs.), but the lefty is giving us reason to be optimistic about him going forward post-surgery.