Jaden Hill roughed up in High-A debut, Spokane Indians fall to Eugene 9-2

Jaden Hill made his first start of the season for the Spokane Indians on Wednesday after being rained out in Vancouver on Saturday.

Unlike Gabriel Hughes’ near-perfect High-A debut Tuesday, it did not go well.

Jared Dupere and Luis Toribio hit back-to-back home runs in the first inning, and the Eugene Emeralds cruised past the Indians 9-2 in a Northwest League game at Avista Stadium .

Hill lasted just one inning, allowing six runs on four hits, two walks, two home runs and a wild pitch.

“I think he had some high expectations and maybe tried to do a little too much early – and missed,” Indians pitching coach Ryan Kibler said. “He had a tough time landing any secondary pitches and had to stick with the fastball.

“He ends up getting behind in the count and made a couple of mistakes out over the plate, which led to the big home runs.”

Hill is 23, age appropriate for the league. But as far as innings logged in his career, he lags behind most other pitchers at this level.

The Colorado Rockies drafted Hill out of Louisiana State in the second round (44th overall) in the 2021 MLB draft despite pitching in just 13 games over three college seasons.

Hill entered his junior season at LSU as a potential top-10 pick in that summer’s draft, but he underwent Tommy John surgery that spring, pushing the right-hander down the draft boards.

After successful rehab from surgery, Hill made his pro debut on July 12 for the Rockies’ Arizona Complex League team. He split last year between the ACL and Low-A Fresno and posted a 3.06 ERA in 10 appearances.

All told, Hill has made 23 appearances (19 starts) covering just 69 innings the past four seasons.

Kibler noted Hill’s relative inexperience.

“It was probably just a blur for him out there,” Kibler said. “But we got something to build off of, something to go to work on. He’s gonna be fine.”

Hill issued a five-pitch walk to leadoff hitter Grant McCray and Aeverson Arteaga bounced one through the hole on the right side. Wade Meckler singled to load the bases, then Hill uncorked a wild pitch and McCray scored.

With one down, Hill walked Logan Wyatt and a grounder brought in the second run . Hill tried to get a fastball past Dupere, but the Eugene designated hitter laced it to right-center, clearing the fence by a couple of feet for a three-run homer.

Then next batter, Toribio, crushed a 1-0 pitch high into the screen above the left-center fence.

Hill struck out ninth-spot hitter Jimmy Glowenke, but his night was over after 35 pitches.

“I need to watch (Hill) throw,” Kibler said. “I need to see what direction he kind of needs to go. A little bit the lack of experience, but just listening to him talk, talking out his plan, I think he’s got a pretty good idea of how to pitch.”

“His command struggled a bit,” Indians catcher Braxton Fulford said. “I’m really not worried about what’s going to be coming from him in the future.

“He’s got some of the best stuff I’ve seen personally, so it’s gonna be exciting to watch him and I think it’s a great growing opportunity for him.”

Eugene picked up two runs in the second off reliever Cullen Kafka and added a ninth run in the fifth on an RBI double by Toribio.

Spokane scored in the bottom of the fifth on a solo home run to straightaway center by Fulford, his second in as many games.

Fulford hit 15 homers last season for Low-A Fresno.

“Just trying to stick to my approach,” Fulford said. “Keep it simple and things are working out.”