What could have been for the Lunatic Fringe as GM Tony Guglielmi can't help but think what their season would have looked like if right-hander Triston McKenzie was trusted with an Opening Day activation. Instead, McKenzie is honored as the 2022 RDBL Pitching Prospect of the Year following his breakout season for the Cleveland Indians.
McKenzie dominated the RDBL Regular Season, ranking 14th in pitcher scoring with 428.0 points while compiling a 3.17 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. It would be been a welcome addition to the Fringe pitching staff which posted a 4.00 ERA as a team while working through rough seasons from Lucas Giolito and $40 auction addition Lance Lynn who posted a 5.00 ERA and 77 1/3 innings. The inability to find consistent quality innings behind ace Sandy Alcantara and an excellent offense ultimately sunk the Fringe into a seller and 10th place finish.
McKenzie has hardly let off the gas pedal since the completion of the RDBL Regular Season, posting a 2.48 ERA and 1.01 WHIP putting him on pace for almost 600 points this season as he currently ranks 12th in overall scoring among pitchers.
While McKenzie ran away with the award at the big league level, he still faced serious competition from Cloverdale Clovers right-hander Andrew Painter who was a key acquisition in the club's blockbuster deal with the Alamo Short Stacks for Juan Soto, Mookie Betts and others. Painter rose to Double-A at the age of 19 with 155 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings while posting a 1.56 ERA, leaving him among a handful of names that could claim the title of best pitching prospect in baseball.
Honorable Mention: Andrew Painter (Clovers), Kyle Wright (Jokers), Gavin Williams (Taters), Kyle Harrison (Grapes), Ricky Tiedemann (Clovers), Taj Bradley (Clovers), Roansy Contreras (Goutfish)
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