06/26/09 11:35 PM ET

CLEVELAND -- Josh Roenicke has seen Homer Bailey pitch in parts of the last two seasons. But he said Bailey has never looked better.

Roenicke, who was Bailey's teammate with the Triple-A Louisville Bats, said the 23-year-old pitcher has added a new pitch to his repertoire -- a split-finger fastball -- which is baffling Minor League hitters. Bailey will get a chance to test his new pitch when he is called up again to start against the Cleveland Indians, Saturday at Progressive Field.

Roenicke said Bailey learned the pitch after he was demoted to Louisville on May 24. He and Bats pitcher Justin Lehr were throwing it in batting practice. Bailey liked the pitch so much, that he decided to use it in games.

Bailey can throw the split-finger pitch in the mid- to upper-90s. Roenicke said the pitch comes out like a fastball and then dives to the left or right of hitters.

After a recent start against the Cleveland Indians' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, the Tribe's top prospect, Matt LaPorta, said it's the best pitch he's seen all year. That statement is pretty impressive considering LaPorta has played 13 games in the Majors this season.

"In one game, he threw it 11 times in a row, eight times for strikes," said Roenicke, who has been with Cincinnati since June 17. "He has a good arm and a good arm slot to throw it out of."

The results have been impressive. Bailey, who is expected to join the team on Saturday, is 8-5 with a 2.71 ERA, 82 strikeouts and 27 walks on the season for the Bats. But he has turned it on as of late.

Bailey is 4-0 with a 0.47 ERA, 38 strikeouts and seven walks in his past five starts.

"He's been absolutely dominating," Roenicke said. "He has been locked in and throwing strikes."