Kyle Drabek promoted to Reading after strong start to season
Kyle Drabek the Phillies top pick in 2006, has be downright filthy this year going 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA for Clearwater. Drabek has only allowed 17 ER on 49 hits, while striking out 74 batters in his 61.2 innings of work. Drabek opponent's batting average is a mere .218. Currently, Drabek is averaging 8.2 strike outs per 9 innings, which leads the Florida State League.
In his last game with the Threshers, Drabek went out with a bang throwing his first complete game of the season against the Charlotte Stone Crabs on only 102 pitches. Drabek allowed five hits and struck out 7.
After being selected as the 18th pick in the 2006 first year player draft by the Phillies, Drabek, out of Woodlands High School in Texas, was sidelined with a serious elbow injury that required "Tommy John" surgery in 2007. Drabek would not pitch for an entire year as he rehabbed.
In August of 2008, Kyle stepped back onto the mound and made eight starts during the regular season, four with the Gulf Coast Phillies and four for Williamsport in the New York Penn League, and combined to go 1-3 with a 2.23 ERA.
Drabek is making a strong case to possibly receive a September call-up, especially if he continues to dominate in the minors. Drabek's father Doug Drabek, pitched 13 seasons in the Majors and was the 1990 Cy Young Award winner with the Pirates and an all-star in 1994 with the Houston Astros.