Today we move our attention from the hitters over to the pitchers who have both pitched in the Valley League and the major leagues. There are only half the categories for pitchers than hitters… and we’ll start with the much-maligned category of wins.

2006-2018
1 Ryan Yarbrough Luray ’12 2018 16
2 Tyler Thornburg Winchester ’08 2016 8
Chris Devenski Woodstock ’11 2017 8
Chad Kuhl New Market ’12 2017 8
5 Brandon Beachy Woodstock ’08 2011 7
6 David Carpenter Covington ’04 2014 6
Austin Gomber Luray ’12 2018 6
8 Brandon Beachy Woodstock ’08 2012 5
Chris Perez Staunton ’04 2013 5
Will Harris Staunton ’03 2015 5
Chad Kuhl New Market ’12 2016 5
Will Harris Staunton ’03 2018 5
Chad Kuhl New Market ’12 2018 5
14 Chris Perez Staunton ’04 2011 4
David Carpenter Covington ’04 2013 4
Will Harris Staunton ’03 2013 4
Chris Devenski Woodstock ’11 2016 4
Drew Rucinski Luray ’08-10 2018 4

Ryan Yarbrough‘s 2018 might be remembered forever as a ground-breaking season; Ryan was most often the pitcher to replace the Tampa Bay Rays’ “opener,” and pitch the bulk of the middle innings. In his rookie season, Ryan went 16-6, 3.91, with a 1.290 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9, and 7.8 K/9 in 147 1/3 innings pitched.

All-Time
1 Mike Caldwell Charlottesville ’68 1978 22
2 Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1985 20
3 Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1988 18
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1993 18
5 Mike Caldwell Charlottesville ’68 1982 17
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1987 17
Walt Terrell Staunton 1987 17
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1994 17
9 Mike Caldwell Charlottesville ’68 1979 16
Rick Honeycutt Charlottesville ’73 1983 16
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1991 16
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1997 16
Ryan Yarbrough Luray ’12 2018 16
14 Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1989 15
Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1990 15
Greg Hibbard Staunton 1993 15
17 Mike Caldwell Charlottesville ’68 1974 14
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1985 14
Jimmy Key Winchester ’82 1986 14
Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1986 14
Greg Hibbard Staunton 1990 14
Tom Browning New Market ’80-81 1991 14
Mike Maroth Staunton ’96-97 2005 14

I’m going to focus on Tom Browning‘s 1985 instead of Mike Caldwell; Mike will get his moment in a few days. In his first full season in the major leagues, Tom went 20-9, 3.55, with a 1.205 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, and 5.3 K/9 in a whopping 261 1/3 innings pitched for the Reds, good for a 4.1 WAR. He finished 2nd in the Rookie of the Year voting (behind Vince Coleman), and 6th in the Cy Young Award voting (Doc Gooden won unanimously).

Yarbrough
Browning