Proper-hander Justin Dunn is holding a showcase for scouts on Tuesday, in accordance with the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham. Only a few weeks after his twenty ninth birthday, Dunn is trying to exhibit each his pitching repertoire and his well being after lacking basically two full seasons. Dunn was restricted to three 1/3 innings within the Reds’ farm system in 2023 as a result of a rotator cuff challenge after which a shoulder surgical procedure in September of that yr, and he didn’t pitch in any respect this season whereas rehabbing from that process.
A highly-touted arm throughout his time at Boston Faculty, Dunn was picked nineteenth general by the Mets within the 2016 draft. His time in New York’s pipeline didn’t final lengthy, as he was one of many headline items of the five-player commerce package deal the Mets despatched to the Mariners in December 2018 for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. Again in March 2022, Dunn was a part of one other distinguished deal when Seattle moved him, Jake Fraley, Brandon Williamson, and Connor Phillips to the Reds in trade for Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker.
Dunn was already coping with shoulder issues on the time of the latter commerce, although the Reds had been conscious and made the deal anyway, maybe since their major concern was dumping wage somewhat than maximizing the participant return. This injury-marred 2022 season noticed Dunn submit a 6.10 ERA over seven begins and 31 innings for Cincinnati, and he hasn’t since pitched within the majors. Dunn opted into minor league free company final winter after the Reds outrighted him off their 40-man roster.
Whereas accidents have thrown a roadblock into Dunn’s profession, he had a good 3.94 ERA over 102 2/3 innings and 25 begins with the Mariners throughout the 2019-21 seasons. That ERA comes with a couple of asterisks, nevertheless, as Dunn has benefited from some success regardless of shaky peripherals. A .215 profession BABIP has been the largest helper, since Dunn hasn’t missed many bats (19.3% strikeout charge) and struggled together with his management (14.7% stroll charge) throughout his transient MLB profession.
Even when Dunn was showing close to the again of top-100 prospect lists, some scouts felt reduction pitching was a greater path for his massive league future than a rotation job. Dunn would possibly nicely discover such a job change as a nod to his arm well being or just to higher his outcomes, however at this level, he’s certainly open to no matter contract presents may be on the desk. It wouldn’t be stunning to see him land a minor league deal and a Spring Coaching invitation from this showcase, as he represents a no-risk flier for groups in search of pitching depth.