Who is Andrew Abbott? Cincinnati Reds rookie LHP made 21 starts in first MLB season

Cincinnati Reds rookie left-hander Andrew Abbott made 21 starts during his first Major League Baseball season.

He lasted at least six innings in nine of those starts, including three of his four starts against the Milwaukee Brewers.

He struck out six or more in 10 starts, including 12 Ks against the San Diego Padres in July and 10 Ks against the Colorado Rockies in June.

He allowed more than one home run in just four of those starts.

On July 20 against the San Francisco Giants, the southpaw allowed just one hit and two walks with six strikeouts over eight scoreless innings.

Abbott's 66 strikeouts were second-most by a Reds pitcher through his first 10 career games since 1901.

The final numbers of Abbott's impressive rookie season: 8-6, 3.87 ERA, with 120 strikeouts in 109 1/3 innings.

Five things to know about Abbott:

Luke Maile caught Abbott's first 18 big-league starts.

"He just competed," Maile told Bally Sports Ohio's Jim Day after Abbott's fifth win of the season. "I would say this probably was in the bottom half of his stuff in terms of all of his starts. He had to really fight through some stuff. But he made big pitches. And he's just such a great competitor. And he keeps it in the zone enough. … He's got a lot of composure. And I've said it before: He doesn't feel like a rookie out there. He feels like he's been doing this a long time."

"It is impressive. It impresses all of us. It impresses a lot of people watching us on his team. But I don't think he's impressed with himself," manager David Bell said of Abbott in July. "I think ever since the first day he got here, he knew what he was capable of. He knew what he expected of himself. He respects the league. He respects the difficulty of what he has to do. But at the same time, he's pitching with great confidence. He knows himself very well. Today it kind of just speaks to how important it is still to get ahead, control the count. Maybe not his best stuff. Maybe not his best fastball. But it was still playing up that he was using it at the right time."

Abbott was the Reds' second-round pick in 2021.

Abbott was selected 53rd overall.

Teammate Matt McLain was the Reds' first of three first-round picks that year (along with outfielder Jay Allen and catcher Mat Nelson), and he became the first from the class to reach the big leagues. Chase Petty, selected by the Minnesota Twins nine picks after McLain and sent to the Reds in the Tyler Mahle trade, is among the Reds' top pitching prospects.

Infielder Edwin Arroyo was selected by the Seattle Mariners five picks before Abbott. Arroyo was acquired by Cincinnati in a trade for starting pitcher Luis Castillo at the 2022 deadline.

Abbott starred at Virginia, and had five UVA teammates selected after him in the 2021 draft.

Oakland A's second baseman Zack Gelof, selected seven picks (60th overall) after Abbott in the 2021 second round, is the only other Cavalier from that draft to have made his big-league debut. Gelof hit .267 with 14 homers and 14 stolen bases in 300 plate appearances last season.

Abbott racked up huge strikeout numbers at UVA. In 2018, he posted a 3.18 ERA in 24 appearances - mostly in relief - as a freshman, striking out 78 in 51 innings. In 2019, he struck out 59 in 44 innings. In 2020, he posted a 1.35 ERA with 28 Ks in 13 1/3 innings. His senior year of 2021, he became a starter, going 9-6 with a 2.87 ERA and 162 Ks in 106 2/3 innings.

The New York Yankees drafted Abbott in the 36th round out of high school, in 2017. Abbott was undrafted in 2020.

Abbott and Elly De La Cruz represented the Reds at the 2022 MLB Futures Game.

The Reds' official Twitter account shared a Throwback Thursday photo earlier this month of Abbott and De La Cruz at the 2022 game, and Abbott retweeted it:

Abbott made his big-league debut on June 5. De La Cruz made his debut June 6.

Abbott relies on aggressiveness and location as opposed to an overpowering fastball.

"A lot of the game is going analytical - spin rates and axes," Abbott said, per The Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. “But I've always just been able to pitch. That's just who I am. I don't have stuff that will blow you away. But I throw it where I want it. I keep myself composed and go from there."

In June, MLB Network analyst and former pitcher Al Leiter compared Abbott to National Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Glavine at a similar age.

"I see a guy that's 6 feet tall. Doesn't throw 95 to 100 (mph)," Leiter said on MLB Network's "MLB Central." "Of course from the left side, you get a reprieve because you don't have to throw as hard generally speaking. … Great kid, great family. … I hate to do comparisons this early. But when I see his disposition and size, I see a young Tom Glavine. Curveball better than Tommy's. And Tommy's change-up is better. And (Abbott's) command's not there yet. But he's got a fastball that if you watch it, it's firm. … The curveball spin rate is elite already. He throws an elevated high fastball with curveball down in the zone, occasional change-up to righties. … He was in Double-A for a short time. He struck out 20 percent of the batters he faced. He's 54 innings in the minor-leagues, 90 strikeouts. … He knows who he is. Yeah, I get excited about a guy like this."

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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Who is Andrew Abbott? Cincinnati Reds LHP made 21 starts as rookie