60ft6in – Pitcher Scouting Reports

David Price / LHP / starter

Price, releasing a 2-seam piece

The 2007 #1 overall pick, David Price reached the major leagues in his first season of professional baseball. Just two years later, Price has made himself into a one of the best pitchers in the game and a Cy Young contender.

David throws a plus fastball that can dominate hitters. Price whips his fastball to home plate somewhere in the 92-96 mph range and did not allow a homerun to a left-handed hitter in 2010. Coming out of the minor leagues, Price was known for his sharp, upper-80s slider that missed bats. The pitch became more cutterish in 2011, but it appears to be just as effective. David also flips a curveball, a pitch he has really developed over the last couple seasons. I believe the curve has helped Price by keeping hitters a bit off balance. They are unable to simply sit on the hard stuff anymore. Finally, David has been working on his changeup for years, and appears to have finally grown comfortable with it in 2011. The change has become more of a weapon, and less of a show pitch. 10/19/11

[fastball(91-97), slider(85-92), curve(77-81), changeup(82-86)]

Kyle Farnsworth / RHP / reliever

Farnsworth is a 13 year veteran that used the first 12 years of his career to figure himself out. Despite having some of the best pure arm strength in the big leagues, he struggled mightily and was known as a pitcher that couldn't handle pressure situations. In 2011, at the age of 35 and with the trust of manager Joe Maddon, Farnsworth has become an effective closer.

He can dial up his 4-seam fastball towards 100 mph, making for what should be an uncomfortable at-bat. Kyle is working in two breaking balls now; a 90 mph cutter and an 85 mph slider. He has also reintroduced his splitter, finally giving him something he can attack LHs with. It looks like his 2-seamer has also stuck around, and he'll mix it in occasionally.

Farnsworth was a 47th round draft pick in 1994 out of Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. He has participated in a couple of famous brawls, making quick work of both Paul Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt with his patented tackle move. Around Wrigleyville, Farnsworth will forever be known as one of the great "Scum Bunchers" of all time. 8/14/11

[4-seam fastball(92-98), 2-seam fastball(89-91), cutter(87-91), slider(83-86), splitter(89-91)]

Matt Moore / LHP / starter

Moore was a somewhat unheralded 8th round draft pick out of high school in New Mexico. The Rays have certainly capitalized on his upside however, as he reached the big league club in 2011 as the highest rated prospect in their minor league system.

The left-hander zips a mid to upper-90s fastball that looks dominating. Moore spins a slurvy breaking ball that has good depth and uses a moving circle changeup. He likes to throw inside often, especially to RHs. Moore's delivery is smooth, calm, and appears effortless. He has really racked up Ks in the pros, to the tune of a 12.7 K/9 ratio over his five minor league seasons. 9/30/11

[fastball(93-97), slurve(83-85), changeup(86-88)]

Jeff Niemann / RHP / starter

Niemann is a big man and he throws hard. He has a low-90s 4-seamer that can run either direction. Jeff is now using his 12 to 6 curve as his clear #2 pitch. The curve can put hit away or get a quick 0-1 count. Jeff also spins a low-80s slider and has plenty of trust in his splitter. Niemann seems to improve his control each season and it seems to have turned him into a complete pitcher. 9/20/11

[fastball(86-93), curve(76-81), splitter(81-85), slider(83-85)]

Jeremy Hellickson / RHP / starter

Drafted out of high school in Iowa, Hellickson dominated at every minor league level. The right-hander entered 2011 as the top prospect in the Rays system.

Hellickson isn't a hard thrower, but he has great control and good mound presence. Jeremy works with a fastball that flies around 90 mph, but it's his secondary pitches that make him successful. He'll throw plenty of changeups to both LHs and RHs. The pitch can cut towards his glove side, but it's the deception that makes it a plus pitch. Hellickson also throws a curveball that he'll vary the velocity on. The curve can be a weapon when it's breaking away from RHs. His fourth pitch is a cutter that he'll show a few times a game. 4/8/11

[fastball(87-92), changeup(77-80), curve(70-78), cutter(87-89)]

Fernando Rodney / RHP / closer

Fernando Rodney can bring some cheddar. He's a physical specimen that can throw an upper-90s fastball. He becomes dominant when he can control his deceptive changeup and start missing bats with it. Rodney will use a slider, but it seems like he only goes to it when he can't find his good change. 8/27/11

[fastball(92-97), changeup(80-85), slider(87-88)]

Brandon Gomes / RHP / reliever

Gomes zips a sinking fastball and slurvy breaking ball to get outs. He shows a splitter as his third pitch. Gomes releases his pitches from a 3/4 arm angle and isn't overpowering.

Gomes pitched parts of five springs of college ball at Tulane thanks to the medical redshirt he received after undergoing T.J. surgery as a sophomore. He also showcased his talents in the Cape Cod League before being drafted by San Diego in 2007. 9/30/11

[2-seam fastball(89-93), slurve(78-83), splitter(83-85)]

Joel Peralta / RHP / setup reliever

Peralta is very deliberate on the mound, putting everything into each pitch. He deals a straight fastball to go with some good secondary pitches. He has a split-finger pitch that can dive under bats and he is unafraid to throw it to both LHs and RHs. Jo-el will also throw a hard upper-70s curve that can miss bats and has used a slider at different points in his career. Peralta has also been willing to vary his arm angles, especially when throwing his slider. 8/5/11

[fastball(89-92), curve(76-78), splitter(80-84), slider(84)]

Jake McGee / LHP / reliever

McGee is a hard throwing left-hander from Nevada. His delivery looks stiff an awkward, but the baseball flies out of his hand with alarming velocity. McGee routinely hits the upper-90s with his 4-seam fastball. He follows the speedball with an average slider and straight changeup. It looks like McGee has a future in late inning relief if he can harness some control of the strikezone. 8/12/11

[4-seam fastball(94-98), slider(78-80), changeup(83)]

Alex Cobb / RHP / starter

Cobb is a strong right-hander drafted out of high school in Vero Beach, Florida. Cobb made stops at each of the Rays minor league levels, and reached the majors at age 23.

Cobb cranks a moving fastball in the low-90s and drops a 12 to 6 curveball. Alex uses a split-finger pitch when he goes off-speed. He has posted low walk totals throughout his minor league career and looks like he might produce the results that were expected of Wade Davis. 8/5/11

[fastball(88-94), curve(74-79), splitter(83-87)]

Roberto Hernandez / RHP / starter

Carmona keeps it simple. He uses his hard sinking fastball to get quick outs. The velocity and movement of this pitch makes it tough for batters to make solid contact. Fausto has a deceptive, sinking changeup that he can get Ks with, or induce weak groundballs. His third pitch is a slider that looks fairly standard. Throughout his career, Carmona has struggled with command of his sinker, as it has a tendency to get considerable running action to his arm side. 5/17/11

[sinker(90-95), changeup(83-87), slider(84-90)]

Cesar Ramos / LHP / reliever

[fastball(91-96), curve(75-76), changeup(85)]

Josh Lueke / RHP / reliever

[fastball(93-96), splitter(85-88), slider, curve]