Cole Irvin’s velocity went crazy in surprisingly effective 2024 Orioles spring debut

After a walk-off win on Saturday in a spring training opener headlined by the debut of Corbin Burnes, the Baltimore Orioles hit the road to Bradenton to take on the Pittsburgh Pirates for game two of Grapefruit League action. The Orioles took care of business with a 2-0 win as they are now 2-0 to start the spring.

The big story of the game was that of Cole Irvin. After a down season in 2023, Irvin came into camp vying to win a spot in the team's rotation after injuries have Kyle Bradish and John Means behind schedule and on the IL to start the season.

Irvin came out and delivered, tossing two scoreless innings while striking out three batters. The story of the day was Irvin's velocity ticking majorly upwards, a fantastic sign as he took the mound for the first time this spring.

Cole Irvin's velocity is way up, and that's a good thing for the Orioles

Irvin's four-seam fastball maxed out at 95.9 miles per hour, a marked increase from the 92 mph average it had in 2023. His sinker got to 95.3 mph and his cutter reached 92, all big increases from 2023. His cutter was up 3.5 mph from 2023, one of the biggest velocity jumps he showcased.

During the offseason, Irvin did plenty of strength and conditioning work, losing 12-15 pounds and working on his mechanics to add more speed to his pitches. The news is nothing but positive for both Irvin and the Orioles as Irvin tries to nail down a rotation spot in the wake of the Bradish and Means injuries.

While Irvin only threw 28 pitches in the game, this is a great sign to start the spring as the Orioles will need the pitching staff to improve in 2024 as they look to make a deeper playoff run. This is just the beginning for Cole Irvin, with better results on the horizon in the new year.