Minor Leagues: Flande A Find, Heating Up In Florida

Yesterday it was Mike Stutes. Today, here’s a new name for you: Yohan Flande.

Flande, 23, is a left-hander from the Dominican Republic who pitched two years in the Dominican summer league. After strong showings there, he was bumped to the Gulf Coast League, where he dominated with a 2.19 ERA last season. Now he’s in Clearwater, and he’s his current line: 18 IP, 0 ER, 12 H, 17 K, 6 BB. Yup, that’s a 0.00 ERA.

Obviously the K/BB rate isn’t Drabek-like, but it’s very good. And he’s too old for his level. But another couple starts should find him in AA Reading, where he’ll be greatly tested by the 21 and 22 year olds in the Eastern League. Hopefully they’ll see that … well … you don’t mess with the Yohan.

Tim Malcolm

Tim first found the Phillies as a little infant at Veteran’s Stadium, cheering on a Juan Samuel game-winning home run in his very first game. With the pinstripes in his blood, he witnessed Terry Mulholland’s 1990 no-hitter, “Steve Carlton Night” at the Vet, game three of the 1993 World Series, countless games during the charmed 2008 championship season and various road excursions. Since November 2007 Tim’s been writing about them daily at Phillies Nation, becoming one of the world’s most popular Phillies scribes. You can catch him on Twitter and Facebook, as well. When he’s not talking about the Phils he’s relaxing with a St. Bernardus ABT 12 or one of his many favored brews.