The White Sox newest senior advisor to pitching, Brian Bannister knows he doesn’t have much to work with in the starting rotation. The only two pitchers that seem to have a spot in next year’s rotation are Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech. Given how the 2023 season went that is a recipe for disaster.
Bannister spoke to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin earlier this week to discuss the state of the pitching staff where he compared his philosophy to baseball to baking.
“You have ingredients in the organization when you get there,” Bannister, told Merkin on Thursday afternoon before a 3-1 victory. “It’s the Drafts that have occurred in previous years, it’s the players that are in the system, it’s the expertise of the staff and what they’re comfortable teaching.
“But ultimately, you’re looking to bake the best cakes possible. These are the ingredients you have, so bake the best cakes.”
Bannister was hired by Getz to help revamp the front office. The 42-year-old spent the last four seasons in San Francisco where he served as the Giants director of pitching.
During Banninster’s tenure in San Fransico the Giants ranked third in the MLB with a 3.15 strikeout-to-walk ratio, allowing the fewest home runs in baseball and the second-fewest walks (1,452). They also posted a 3.82 ERA which was the sixth-best mark in the majors, and a 1.24 WHIP which ranked ninth. Last season the Giants had a team ERA of 3.85 which was the seventh best in the National League.
Before joining the Giants ranks, Bannister spent five seasons in Boston where he served as the Red Sox director of pitching analysis and development before becoming Boston’s coaching staff as the assistant pitching coach in the middle of the 2016 season. During the Red Sox 2018 World Series championship season, Bannister was the Red Sox Red Sox vice president, pitching development, and assistant pitching coach.
Before his front office and coaching days, the Scottsdale native played five seasons in the MLB with the Mets and Royals between 2006-2010. In 117 games he logged a 5.08 ERA with 384 strikeouts.
On top of all his prior baseball experience, he also has some White Sox ties. His father Floyd, pitched on the White Sox 1983 American League West championship team.
While the resume is impressive it doesn’t change the fact that the cupboard is pretty bare as far as pitching talent on the current roster. But during his time in Boston, he worked with Kopech briefly.
“I’ve liked Banny since I met him,” Kopech told MLB.com. “He’s been nothing but good to me as a professional. He can offer a lot with the experience he’s had being with the Sox and Giants. I’m excited to have him on, excited to get to know him more on a personal level.”
Bannister believes he can return Kopech to not only a serviceable starter but a top-caliber arm the White Sox thought they were getting when they traded Chris Sale to acquire his services.
“My sweet spot has always been helping pitchers who are either coming off a down year or have lost their identity a little bit, and really getting in there and building trust with them and helping them identify what makes them a productive Major League pitcher and just walking alongside them in that process,” Bannister told Merkin. “I’m a big believer in him.”
Kopech falls right into Bannister’s sweet spot. But he isn’t the only one. Dylan Cease is coming off a down year while pitchers like Touki Toussaint, Luis Patino, and Jose Urena are all looking to find their identity in the big leagues after being labeled as top prospects. There is a good chance at least one of the three will have an opportunity to play a key role in the rotation.
There is no guarantee that Toussaint, Patino, or Urena will be on the roster next season but there is a reason they all used to be ranked as Top-100 prospects, they have talent. Bannister could be just the person to help them unlock it.
