Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45
Irvin had Tommy John surgery in 2014, knocking out what would have been his sophomore season at Oregon. He looked he had come all the way back by the time his redshirt junior year in '16 came around and parlayed his strong season into becoming the Phillies' fifth-round pick. He's been a workhorse since, topping 150 IP in each of his two full seasons of pro ball, and he led the Triple-A International League in ERA in '18.
Irvin's success comes from his ability to use his four-pitch mix well to keep hitters guessing and off-balance, though his stuff largely grades out as Major League average. His fastball velocity did regress a bit in 2018, down to staying in the 90-91 mph range, showing the ability to throw his two-seamer down in the zone with sink to get ground-ball outs. His changeup, his best pitch, has improved, though, giving him one above-average offering. He mixes in two distinct breaking balls effectively.
Irvin throws all of his pitches for strikes, as evidenced by his career 2.0 BB/9 rate. His ceiling might be limited as a back-end starter, and there's not much margin for error given the nature of his stuff, but he's ready to show what he can do in the big leagues. Statcast - Pitching Season Pitches Batted Balls Barrels Barrel % Exit Velocity Launch Angle XBA XSLG WOBA XWOBA XWOBACON Hard Hit % K % BB % 2019 639 134 10 7.5 85.6 15.5 .297 .519 .334 .363 .410 33.1 17.1 7.2 ALL 639 134 10 7.5 85.6 15.5 .297 .519 .334 .363 .410 33.1 17.1 7.2 MLB 40553 6.3 87.5 11.2 .251 .412 .317 .318 .371 34.5 21.7 8.3 Transactions Team Date Transaction 09/01/2019 Philadelphia Phillies recalled LHP Cole Irvin from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 07/28/2019 Philadelphia Phillies optioned LHP Cole Irvin to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 07/18/2019 Philadelphia Phillies recalled Cole Irvin from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 06/21/2019 Philadelphia Phillies optioned LHP Cole Irvin to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 06/16/2019 Philadelphia Phillies recalled Cole Irvin from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 06/09/2019 Lehigh Valley IronPigs activated LHP Cole Irvin from the temporarily inactive list. 06/05/2019 Lehigh Valley IronPigs placed LHP Cole Irvin on the temporarily inactive list. 06/03/2019 Philadelphia Phillies optioned LHP Cole Irvin to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 05/31/2019 Philadelphia Phillies recalled Cole Irvin from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 05/23/2019 Philadelphia Phillies optioned LHP Cole Irvin to Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 05/12/2019 Philadelphia Phillies selected the contract of Cole Irvin from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 01/11/2019 Philadelphia Phillies invited non-roster LHP Cole Irvin to spring training. 05/19/2018 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Lehigh Valley IronPigs from Williamsport Crosscutters. 05/16/2018 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Williamsport Crosscutters from Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 05/15/2018 LHP Cole Irvin roster status changed by Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 03/30/2018 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Lehigh Valley IronPigs from Reading Fightin Phils. 01/17/2018 Philadelphia Phillies invited non-roster LHP Cole Irvin to spring training. 06/28/2017 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Reading Fightin Phils from Clearwater Threshers. 06/16/2017 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Clearwater Threshers from Williamsport Crosscutters. 06/14/2017 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Williamsport Crosscutters from Clearwater Threshers. 04/06/2017 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Clearwater Threshers from Williamsport Crosscutters. 07/01/2016 LHP Cole Irvin assigned to Williamsport Crosscutters. 06/23/2016 Philadelphia Phillies signed LHP Cole Irvin.
