DALLAS — Christian Devont'a "C.D." Pelham is a large, large man with a large, large fastball. The 23 year old South Carolinian stands a formidable 6’6’’ and weighs in (conservatively) at 235 lbs. The big lefty is also an athlete and although he came out of Spartanburg Methodist College extremely raw, he has rounded into quite a backend bullpen asset.
Name: C.D. Pelham
Age: 23
Height/Weight: 6’6” 235 lbs
Position(s): P
Bats/Throws: Left/Left
How he got here: The Rangers 33rd round pick in 2015 (978th overall) out of Junior College in South Carolina.
Pelham's bread and butter is a healthy fastball that sits in the mid to upper 90’s and can reach triple digits. And, did I mention he’s a lefty? Left-handers who can pump in heat have a long lifespan with a lot of rope in the game of baseball.
Pelham's long arms and big velocity sneak up on left-handed hitters and he has developed an exciting slider this year that has proven to be weapon. He leaned on his fastball and a loopy curve to get through the lower levels of the minors, steadily progressing a level per year, to the point where he started this year in High A at Down East.
Pelham's start to the year in High-A couldn't have gone much better as he struck out 34 batters in 27.2 innings and was a sterling 11 for 11 in save opportunities with a win in 14 appearances. That performance subsequently earned him a bump to AA in June. Shortly after, Pelham received the honor of playing in the MLB Futures Game during the MLB All-Star break as one of two Rangers prospects to be invited to the showcase event.
His first stint in Frisco is off to an expected shaky start, though he has struck out 10 in 9.2 innings. It could take a few more weeks or maybe even the rest of the season for Pelham to fully adjust to what is considered to be the biggest jump in minor league ball, but his arm will play.
Pelham is quickly on his way to replacing the kind of role freshly traded Jake Diekman held for so long as the shut down lefty in the back of the major league bullpen but it’s not likely to happen this year. In the meantime, Pelham has not yet been added to the 40 man roster, but it’s possible that he could be added in September and get a cup of coffee when rosters expand.
If you head out to Frisco this year he’ll be hard to miss. He’s the big ol’ lefty with the big ol’ fastball.
What he does well: Pelham throws a baseball really hard with freakishly long limbs which makes it appear like the baseball is coming from halfway to first base and, because of those physical gifts, he has had excellent strikeout numbers throughout his climb through the system.
What he needs to work on: Pelham is already in the battle of his baseball life as he adjusts to the jump from Down East to Frisco. The top priority beyond making adjustments to the new level will be refining his slider and harnessing control of his fastball.
What to expect: Pelham's future is in the late innings for the Rangers where, if he continues to progress, he profiles as either a setup man or even an eventual closer. With elite heat and an improving offspeed pitch, Pelham certainly looks the part.
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Is C.D. Pelham the closer of the future for the Rangers? Share you thoughts with Chris on Twitter @realchrisroland.
