Asher Wojciechowski makes start at AAA

Asher Wojciechowski was a hot prospect coming into Spring Training. The big right-hander posted a tidy 1.15 WHIP in his age 24 season between AA and AAA. Wojo was looking to have a big spring and force his way into the conversation for the starting rotation. Unfortunately, he was bitten by the injury bug early during camp.

A strained lat muscle behind his pitching shoulder put Asher on the shelf until a May 21 start for the AAA Oklahoma City RedHawks.  Wojo lasted only four innings in that start, coming out of the game with a flexor strain. That injury has kept him on the disabled list ever since… until tonight, that is.

Back in a RedHawks uniform for the second time this season, Wojochowski found himself pitted against the Reno Aces. Asher came out a little rusty, as was to be expected, throwing a wild pitch and issuing a walk in the first inning — but the Aces failed to capitalize. Another walk in the second was left stranded. Walk number three came in the third inning but was quickly erased on a double-play grounder.

Another walk in the fourth sandwiched in between a couple of hits put a runner at every base with only one out. Wojo would exit the game having thrown only 28 of his 53 pitches for strikes. All three of those runners would score on a Mike Freeman triple off David Martinez.

All in all it was a shaky outing for Wojciechowski. But he got through it. My guess is, he was probably on a pitch limit of around 60 regardless of what happened. Next time around he should be stretched out to about 75 or 80 pitches. Right now it’s all about building arm strength. If he can stay healthy, a September callup to the big leagues could be in the cards for Wojo.