60ft6in – Pitcher Scouting Reports

Joakim Soria / RHP / closer

Soria owns an excellent full repertoire. Everything starts with his cut fastball that batters have a tough time making solid contact against. The Mexicutioner will spot his changeup away to LHs and sometimes mix in a very slow curve. Soria’s slider has late break that is very effective against RHs.

Soria has the stuff of a starting pitcher, but has excelled in the closer’s role in KC. The Royals stole Soria from the Padres in the 2006 Rule 5 draft. 7/20/11

[cut fastball(88-95), slider(79-84), curve(66-72), changeup(82-87)]



Luke Hochevar / RHP / starter

Hochevar has the distinction of being drafted in the 1st round two times, including 1st overall in 2006. However, his stuff doesn't look dominant and I suspect he has already lost some velocity since his college days.

He'll vary his fastball between his straight 4-seamer and his running 2-seamer. The former Volunteer will drop in 12 to 6 curveballs to all hitters. The curve looks like a plus pitch at 80 mph. Hochevar has constantly tinkered with his repertoire during his Royals career. He's now throwing lots of cutters and has added a splitter. The cutter is a big part of what he's doing in 2011, while the splitter basically flies like a straight changeup. Luke still has a standard slider as well.

I've seen Luke begin games with a fastball/cutter/curve combination, before mixing in his slider and splitter during the second time through the lineup. Hochevar is sloppy with his mechanics at times, giving the appearance that he loses focus. Hochevar would likely be best served by simply finding four pitches he could rely on, instead of attempting to trick batters with a full tool belt. Hochevar still has promise, but has lots to prove at the major league level. 6/9/11

[2-seam fastball(90-94), 4-seam fastball(94-95), curve(76-81), cutter(88-91), slider(82-87), splitter(80-84)]

Jonathan Broxton / RHP / setup reliever

The heavy legged Jon Broxton brings it. His fastball is often in the mid to upper-90s and his razorblade slider can be impossible to hit in the upper-80s. He will mix in the occasional changeup. Broxton has established himself as one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. 4/1/09 CSJ

[fastball(94-100), slider(86-90), changeup(87-88)]

Jonathan Sanchez / LHP / starter

Sanchez has good velocity for a left-hander, so as you'd expect, he relies on his fastball to get outs. Sanchez shows a curveball as well, and he'll throw it often to LHs. The curve gets good break and misses bats. Sanchez' third pitch is a changeup that he seems to tip by slowing his delivery.

Sanchez' main adversary is his suspect control. He led the NL in walks in 2010, but helped himself by posting over 200 strikeouts and also led the NL in H/9. The Puerto Rican threw a no-hitter in 2009. Sanchez' repertoire and high walk rate are remarkably similar to his rival across the bay, Gio Gonzalez. 8/14/11

[fastball(88-94), curve(77-84), changeup(81-86)]

Aaron Crow / RHP / reliever

Crow was named the top prospect of the Cape Cod League in 2007, dominated the Big12 in 2008, and was a 1st round pick of the Nationals that June. Crow never signed with Washington, instead playing independent ball in Ft. Worth. Crow was eventually drafted in the 1st round for a second year in a row, this time by Kansas City, where he joined fellow former Ft. Worth Cat, Luke Hochevar.

Crow has a big arm and two different breaking balls. He's throwing in the mid-90s as a reliever in 2011, and was even tabbed as the closer for a week while Joakim Soria struggled. Expect to see a plus slider and fastball, with a downward breaking curve and straight changeup. 6/15/11

[fastball(94-97), slider(84-87), curve(80-83), changeup]

Tim Collins / LHP / reliever

Collins is a little guy with big heat. He can throw in the upper-90s with his fastball and owns a curve with great depth. Tiny Tim also throws the obligatory changeup. Collins was drafted out of high school in Worcester, Massachusetts. 6/15/11

[fastball(91-96), curve(73-77), changeup(82-85)]

Danny Duffy / LHP / starter

Duffy is one of the many young, hard throwers the Royals are counting on to be part of the KC resurgence. Duffy has great stuff, including a mid-90s fastball and vanishing curveball. He'll be given plenty of chances to succeed in the major leagues. 6/15/11

[fastball(90-97), curve(74-80), changeup(80-85), slider(80)]

Greg Holland / RHP / reliever

Holland throws hard for a short right-hander. He comes over-the-top with a fastball that explodes onto hitters in the mid-90s. Holland mixes in a good amount of sliders as his second pitch. Greg also owns a standard curveball and a decent splitter that he shows to LHs.

Holland has been a full-time relief pitcher since his sophomore year at Western Carolina. Holland put himself on the map by dominating summer ball in the Coastal Plain League in 2006. 8/4/11

[fastball(91-97), split(82-85), slider(83-88), curve(75-79)]

Bruce Chen / LHP / starter

Chen began his baseball career as a big prospect in the Braves organization. He dominated the minor leagues and pitched well in his first couple years in the majors. However, something happened in 2001. Chen started getting pounded that season, and besides the abberation of 2005, he has been getting rocked ever since. Chen is Panamanian-Chinese.

Chen's velocity leaves a lot to be desired, so he mixes up his arm slot and throws a lot of junk to try and get outs. His fastball tops out at 88 mph, but it usually flies in the low-80s. When he drops down, I've seen the fastball get as slow as 76 mph. Bruce's best pitch appears to be his cutter, a pitch he'll throw over the top and get inside on RHs. Chen will also mix in a slow curveball at various arm angles, and a very soft changeup. 8/24/10 CSJ

[fastball(76-91), cutter(78-86), curve(67-81), changeup(73-80)]

Luis Mendoza / RHP / starter - reliever

Luis is a lanky guy with long arms and a fluid motion. He throws tons of sinking 2-seamers that produce numerous groundballs. He'll also throw a 4-seam variety that seems to get some cut. Mendoza's curve gets tons of downward break and his changeup is standard. 9/22/11

[4-seam fastball(90-92), 2-seam fastball(86-91), curve(75-83), changeup(79-83)]

Louis Coleman / RHP / reliever

Coleman slings the ball across his body, giving RHs a nearly impossible look at his stuff. He owns a sinking fastball, sweeping slider, and soft changeup. As a senior at LSU, Coleman was named SEC Pitcher of the Year, 1st-team All-American, and the Tigers won the National Championship. 7/4/11

[fastball(87-92), slider(77-82), changeup(77)]

Blake Wood / RHP / reliever

Blake Wood throws gas. This guy can run his fastball up towards 100 mph and whip his slider at 90 mph. Wood also owns a sinking splitter as his third option.

After years of unsuccessful attempts at being a starter in the minors, Wood converted to the bullpen in 2010. Now it looks like he should have a major league job for a very long time. 7/4/11

[fastball(94-98), slider(85-91), splitter(85-89)]

Jose Mijares / LHP / setup reliever

Mijares reminds me of a young J.C. Romero. He's a tough Venezuelan left-hander that throws a good fastball and sweeping slider. Mijares had some control problems in the minor leagues, but seems to have fixed those. 5/15/11

[fastball(89-95), slider(78-83), changeup(82-85)]

Felipe Paulino / RHP / starter - reliever

Paulino is a hard throwing Dominican that has the ability to rack up strikeouts if he could just harness his talent. Felipe can throw his fastball towards 100 mph, and crank a slider that can touch 90 mph. Yet somehow, he still gets hit around and battles control problems in nearly every outing. In 2010, Paulino finally pitched some good ballgames for the Astros, despite having a terrible W-L record overall. Paulino may eventually settle into a role as a late inning reliever, where his pitches/inning isn't as much of a factor. 8/19/11

[fastball(93-99), slider(85-89), changeup(82-87), curve(74-79)]

Everett Teaford / LHP / reliever

Teaford is a hard throwing youngster that isn't afraid to change his arm slot or mix up his velocities to get an out. The left-hander throws the standard four pitches out of an unorthodox delivery. Teaford's breaking balls move a ton, giving him a distinct advantage against LHs. 8/19/11

[fastball(90-96), slider(86-91), curve(79-83), changeup(84-87)]

Jesse Chavez / RHP / reliever

Chavez is a hard thrower. He can bring a 95 mph fastball and puts everything he has behind it. Chavez has shown me a changeup and a very tight slider as his secondary pitches. Chavez appeared to have a future in late inning relief but he hasn't harnessed enough control to be consistently effective. 8/24/10 CSJ

[fastball(91-95), changeup(83-86), slider(85-90), curve(76-79)]

Jeff Suppan / RHP / starter - reliever

Suppan will mix up his pitches like it's his job. He throws lots of fastballs that he'll sink, vary the speed on, or even attempt to blow by a hitter at 91 mph. Suppan uses a splitter for his off-speed pitch, usually around 80 mph and sinking. Suppan will also throw sliders and curves. His curve gets 12-6 action and is very slow. His sliders can vary between 80-85 mph and be his only effective weapon at times. 6/18/09 CSJ

[fastball(85-91), slider(81-86), splitter(79-83), curve(71-74)]

Jeremy Jeffress / RHP / reliever

[fastball(94-99), curve(81), changeup]