Most strikeouts in one minor league season?
| 2006-2018 | ||||
| 1 | Drew Granier | Harrisonburg ’09-10 | 2012 | 167 |
| 2 | Tyler Thornburg | Winchester ’08 | 2011 | 160 |
| 3 | Brad Mills | Harrisonburg ’05 | 2008 | 159 |
| Ryan Yarbrough | Luray ’12 | 2017 | 159 | |
| 5 | Robert Gilliam | Luray ’07 | 2011 | 156 |
| 6 | Drew Granier | Harrisonburg ’09-10 | 2013 | 153 |
| 7 | Mike Ballard | Staunton ’04 | 2011 | 150 |
| 8 | Brandon Beachy | Woodstock ’08 | 2010 | 148 |
| 9 | Cole McCurry | New Market ’05 | 2009 | 145 |
| 10 | Drew Rucinski | Luray ’09-10 | 2014 | 140 |
| Austin Gomber | Luray ’12 | 2015 | 140 | |
| Sam Howard | Staunton ’12 | 2016 | 140 | |
| Austin Gomber | Luray ’12 | 2017 | 140 |
Drew Granier, a 32nd round draft pick of the Oakland A’s in 2011, threw 162 2/3 innings in 2012 for Burlington in the Midwest League. He went 11-10, 3.21, with a 1.242 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9, and 9.2 K/9. He reached Triple-A in 2014, but did not pitch in the majors. He pitched in Indy ball in 2015, but has since retired.
| All-Time | ||||
| 1 | Brian Barnes | Staunton | 1990 | 213 |
| 2 | Tom Browning | New Market ’80-81 | 1983 | 202 |
| 3 | Brent Billingsley | New Market ’95 | 1998 | 183 |
| Jesse Foppert | Harrisonburg ’00 | 2002 | 183 | |
| 5 | Oscar Munoz | Harrisonburg | 1991 | 182 |
| 6 | Greg Harris | Front Royal | 1986 | 176 |
| 7 | Brent Billingsley | New Market ’95 | 1997 | 175 |
| 8 | Brian McNichol | Winchester ’94 | 1998 | 173 |
| 9 | Oscar Munoz | Harrisonburg | 1993 | 168 |
| 10 | Drew Granier | Harrisonburg ’09-10 | 2012 | 167 |
| 11 | Phil Leftwich | Front Royal | 1991 | 166 |
| 12 | Jack Egbert | Winchester ’03 | 2007 | 165 |
| 13 | Brad Ziegler | New Market ’00 | 2005 | 164 |
| 14 | Tom Browning | New Market ’80-81 | 1984 | 160 |
| Tyler Thornburg | Winchester ’08 | 2011 | 160 | |
| 16 | Larry Mitchell | Harrisonburg ’91 | 1993 | 159 |
| Brad Mills | Harrisonburg ’05 | 2008 | 159 | |
| Ryan Yarbrough | Luray ’12 | 2017 | 159 | |
| 19 | Mike O’Connor | New Market ’01 | 2005 | 158 |
| 20 | Clay Daniel | Winchester ’81 | 1985 | 157 |
It’s hard to believe that Brian Barnes struck out 213 batters in one minor league season, but incredibly, he did. Out of Clemson, Barnes went 13-7, 2.77, with a 1.147 WHIP, 3.9 BB/9, and 9.5 K/9 in 201 1/3 innings pitched. He made his major league debut the very next year, but ultimately had trouble staying healthy. He appeared in 116 major league games between 1990 and 1994.
