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Cotton’s ‘cutter’ doing damage in MLB

Virgin Islands' Jharel L. Cotton has been finding success with his new pitch, a late cutter, as a member of Major League side Oakland Athletics. Photo: Internet Source
The curveball and cutter combination helped Jharel L. Cotton to a dream start in the Majors as he went 2-0, with a fast ball topping at 95 and averaging in the low 90’s. Photo: Internet Source
The curveball and cutter combination helped Jharel L. Cotton to a dream start in the Majors as he went 2-0, with a fast ball topping at 95 and averaging in the low 90’s. Photo: Internet Source
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Local Boy, Jharel L. Cotton, will be back in the Virgin Islands over Christmas, attending among other things, as a Special Guest of the 1st Annual Rising Stars Baseball Camp, being held in St Thomas, US Virgin Islands (USVI) on December 20, 2016.

Cotton’s rise from Little League to the Majors, with the Oakland Athletics as Pitcher, has been well documented and the most recent article appeared in Baseball America.

The story of his meteoric rise features on a new pitch, a cutter, he developed to add to an already impressive change up.

As Pitching Coach for the “A’s” explained “the little cutter is a big pitch for him, he pounds the strike zone, with his unorthodox delivery, the ball coming out at 88-90 mph and then has that late cut at the end.”

Cotton said he threw the ball with Triple A team, the Dodgers, and was encouraged to throw it more often by his Coach.

“I got a feel for it and it just kept getting better,” tells Cotton. “It gives me a curve ball to show up and down movement and now the cutter to give lateral movement, so my fastball moves in and my changeup moves out.”

The combination helped Cotton to a dream start in the Majors as he went 2-0, with a fast ball topping at 95 and averaging in the low 90’s.

Traditionally there has been prejudice against short right handers, but at just under 6ft, Cotton said that would not phase him and of course the “A’s” already have starting pitcher, Sonny Gray, so it won’t be a worry to the Clubhouse, especially if Cotton keeps developing and progressing.

“There are short pitchers succeeding all the time and I just have to go out there and pitch my butt off every time I get the ball. I don’t really care about it at all,” Cotton said.

5 Responses to “Cotton’s ‘cutter’ doing damage in MLB”

  • Small Axe. (04/12/2016, 10:32) Like (17) Dislike (0) Reply
    Good going little soldier. A Big Heart youth..Never Scared... Nuff respect.. Proud of you.
  • zoe (04/12/2016, 10:40) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    You go boy!
  • gkefkkdakxq (04/12/2016, 14:13) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    our people are making their contributions mehson
  • street reporter. (04/12/2016, 16:46) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Tell them youth man put down the Guns and hold a bat or a ball, or a musical instrument and make good things happen. Do things to make your parents proud youth man instead of sorrow, pain and tears..
  • Serpico (05/12/2016, 04:39) Like (0) Dislike (4) Reply
    Why people referring to this grown man as a "boy". Boys do not play in the Major League.


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