Will 2015 be Dylan Bundy’s return year?

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Although some Baltimore Orioles fans may still be heartbroken about how the 2014 season ended, they should start to get excited for the 2015 season.

One thing they can become excited about is the younger pitchers coming up to the Majors. In addition to Kevin Gausman solidifying his spot in the starting rotation, pitchers like Mike Wright will be making their Major League debut.

Even more exciting, Dylan Bundy will arrive back in Baltimore after recovering from Tommy John Surgery in 2014.

While rehabbing in 2014 in the Orioles’ farm system, his fastball returned to the upper 90s by the end of summer while sometimes hitting triple digits. His curveball and changeup both improved over the summer as the Orioles limited the amount of cutters Bundy  threw (which is his best secondary pitch) in order to work on his offspeed offerings.

In early June, Bundy first pitched in Short Season Single-A Aberdeen. In three games started, he pitched 15 complete innings; striking out 22 batters and limiting the opponents’ batting average to just .189. His 0.60 ERA earned him a call up to Single-A Frederick.

Despite struggling in his first three starts with the Keys, Bundy then settled down and allowed just two more runs to score in his final three starts of the summer. He also struck out another 15 batters in Frederick.

Baltimore’s 2011 first round draft pick will be ready to go by Opening Day of next season. Manager Buck Showalter will most likely put Bundy in the bullpen at the start of the season until Bundy gets used to pitching to Major League batters. After that, fans may get their first chance to see an Orioles’ pitching rotation that includes Chris Tillman, Gausman and Bundy

Needless to say, Baltimore Orioles fans have a lot to be excited about moving ahead in 2015.