Latest Wowing Performance Earns Blue Wahoos' Nicolas Top Award

The Blue Wahoos played only one game last week.

But that was the game earning pitcher Kyle Nicolas his latest acclaim, after the 22-year-old righthander was named Double-A South pitcher of the week Monday following his recent performance.

Making his fifth start since joining the Blue Wahoos, Nicolas had his longest pro outing, going 6.2 innings on Aug. 24 in Pensacola’s 1-0 road win against the Mississippi Braves.

The final five games of the series were canceled.

Nicolas worked into the seventh that night, allowing just three hits, one walk and recording five strikeouts against the first-place M-Braves.

In five starts, Nicolas is 3-0 with a 0.68 earned run average. His 115 strikeouts across two levels are the most of any pitcher in Minor League Baseball.

With the Blue Wahoos, Nicolas has allowed just two runs and 10 hits in five appearances. The Massillon, Ohio native and former Ball State University standout, was a second-round pick in 2020 by the Miami Marlins.

He has elevated his performance in Double-A since being promoted July 21 from the Beloit (Wisc.) Snappers, the Marlins’ High-A affiliate. Nicolas made 13 starts for the Snappers with a 3-2 record and 5.28 ERA. He allowed 36 runs, including 13 home runs.

Nicolas has given up just one homer in his five Blue Wahoos starts.

The Blue Wahoos are scheduled to begin a six-game series Tuesday in Montgomery against the Montgomery Biscuits.

JAKE EDER SURGERY

What had been a stellar year for Jake Eder has ended in a tough way.

The 22-year-old left-hander, who pitched in the MLB Futures Game in July and elevated his future with the Blue Wahoos, will soon undergo Tommy John elbow surgery, according to a published report in the Miami Herald.

Eder, who grew up in South Florida, was the Marlins fourth-round pick in 2020 out of Vanderbilt, where he helped the Commodores win the College World Series.

This season, he appeared in 15 games for the Blue Wahoos, all starts. He compiled a 3-5 record with a 1.77 earned run average. He had 99 strikeouts and at one point was the MILB leader in that category.

His performance elevated Eder to become the Marlins’ No. 6 rated prospect by MLB Pipeline. But Eder’s last start was August 13, where he worked just 1.2 innings. He had not pitched longer than four innings in any game since July 16.

According to the Miami Herald report, Eder is likely to miss the entire 2022 season. The hope is that he returns in 2023 the enhanced performance he displayed during this 2021 season.