Madison Bumgarner was a first-round Draft pick last year and, only five months into his professional career, he's already looking like a bargain.
Bumgarner (13-3) struck out a career-high 12 and allowed two hits over six innings Friday as the Augusta GreenJackets blanked the Lexington Legends, 6-0, at Lake Olmstead Stadium
Friday's gem was the fourth straight scoreless outing for the 18-year-old left-hander.
"I definitely felt pretty good," Bumgarner said. "My last few starts, I've just been perfect. I couldn't ask for anything better."
Neither could the GreenJackets.
The North Carolina native has held opponents to 17 hits over 28 innings in those last four starts.
"My breaking stuff wasn't really there tonight, it wasn't as good as it's been," he said. "I was hitting my spots, using my fastball and changeup quite a bit tonight."
It's been a breakout rookie season for Bumgarner, the 10th overall pick by San Francisco in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He's leads the South Atlantic League with 145 strikeouts and a 1.52 ERA and is tied with Kannapolis' Levi Maxwell for most wins.
"Yeah, it's been pretty special," he said. "It's my first full season and it feels good to be getting all this success."
Bumgarner left South Caldwell High School in Hudson, N.C., to join the GreenJackets and has dominated in 22 starts with just one loss since April 18.
"There's definitely a huge difference in the hitters," Bumgarner said of the professional ranks. "You need to hit your spots, that's the main thing. You can't get by with the fastball, you've got to have all three pitches."
Bumgarner was named South Atlantic League Player of the Month in June and has been selected Pitcher of the Week four times.
"The biggest difference is playing every day," he said. "I'm surprised how this season has flown by."
Bumgarner's 1.52 ERA is tops among all full-season pitchers in the Minors, a fact of which he was unaware.
"That's definitely awesome, I didn't know," he said. "I'm still learning stuff every day, and there's still a lot to learn."
Bumgarner struck out the side in the first and fourth and held the Legends to singles by Chris Jackson in the first and Craig Corrado in the sixth.
"I felt really good," said Bumgarner, who has five double-digit strikeout performances this season. "We had a couple long innings when we scored four or five runs, so I just got a little tight sitting there. But I felt fine."
Augusta gave Bumgarner some time to relax in the fifth thanks to run-scoring hits from Nick Noonan, Juan Ciriaco and Garrett Baker.
Bumgarner said he's dealt well with the pressure of being a first-round pick.
"I try not to let that bother me too much," he said. "But there's a lot of pressure, I guess, since I was first pick for the Giants. I come out and do well, I try not to think about it too much."
He's ticketed for a promotion next season but said he's not concerned where it is.
"I don't know what their plans are exactly," he said. "But whatever they want to do is fine with me."
Nearly 5,000 fans came out to see Bumgarner's latest gem, helping the GreenJackets set a single-season franchise attendance record of 180,562.
Lexington's Jeff Icenogle (3-9) lost his second straight start after allowing three runs on three hits and six walks over four innings.
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