Tanner Bibee finished the 2023 season as runner-up in the American League Rookie of the Year race. However, at one point he was just another prospect who was taken in the fifth round of the 2021 draft by the Cleveland Guardians.
His rise to the Majors has been faster than most pitchers, but that doesn't mean Bibee has had to make adjustments along the way. In fact, Bibee says that the Guardians had several tweaks ready to go right when they selected him.
"When I first got drafted, they wanted me to separate my two breaking balls, they wanted me to get more ride on my fastball, and they wanted me to throw harder because I mean everybody throws harder nowadays," said Bibee on MLB Radio.
"Honestly, my goals never really change throughout those [minor league] levels. Obviously, you want to develop, you want to do all these things. But at the end of the day, you are supposed to compete, you do want to win, you just set some small goals."
Bibee finished 2023 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 24.1 K%. His four-seam fastball was elite reaching a run value of 10 by the end of the season. The 24-year-old quickly found his groove and demonstrated he could be the ace of this team in the future.
Still, that doesn't mean Bibee is immune from ever modifying his pitch mix ever again.
Bibee explained, "I've proven that I can pitch in the big leagues and succeed, so at this point, it's just minor tweaks whether it's like pitch shape, whether it's movement, whether it's even like lifting like off the field stuff."
Reflecting and looking back on what he did well and what his weaknesses are what helped him post a 2.63 ERA in his 12 starts after the All-Star break.
"So, I think the first couple of months of this year when I got pulled up, I think I was just not as much as I wanted to. I think once July rolled around, I think I kind of went back to filling up the zone, not walking as many people. And I think that much more consistent because less people on base is just going to make it a lot easier on the mind."
Bibee's rookie season was undoubtedly impressive and he clearly possesses raw talent. However, realizing when to make adjustments is what will help Bibee stay in the big leagues for a long time.
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