A dozen college pitchers to look at that should go in the first few rounds, of which 8 are left handers.
David Price, LHP, Vanderbilt
The early candidate for the #1 pick in the draft. The 6-5 lefty has power stuff and strikes out a ton of hitters.
Andrew Brackman, RHP, NC State
Speaking of tall pitchers, Brackman is 6-10 (he even looks tall in a head shot). His limited innings in 2006 was due to a stress fracture in his hip.
Joe Savery, LHP, Rice
Savery appears to have been hurt last year as he only pitched 62 innings. He also doubles as an infielder, with a .382 batting avearge.
Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson
Moskos is the closer for Clemson, pitching all of his innings in relief.
James Adkins, LHP, Tennessee
Not to be confused with Atkins, the diet guy. Has two solid years of starting in college.
Cole St. Clair, LHP, Rice
St. Clair is a favorite of mine. He's a big lefty (6-5, 225) who pitched out of the bullpen for all but two appearances with the Owls. However, there's a possibility that he has enough pitches to become a starter. It'll be interesting to see if a team tries to convert him to a starter in the majors like the Jays did with Dave Bush. His numbers as a sophomore look better than Craig Hansen's numbers as a junior (and would look even better with park and competition adjustments). He also had 43 Ks in 26 innings this summer for Team USA. Baseball America ranked him #19 which would be in the Jays area of the first round (see below) so I would imagine he's a definite possibility.
Jake Arrieta, RHP, TCU
A solid sophmore year starting for the Horned Frogs. His numbers are similar to Adkins, but the ERAs are much different, for whatever that's worth.
Joshua Fields, RHP, Georgia
Another closer - Fields put up numbers a little worse than St Clair.
Ross Detwiler, LHP, Missouri St
Detwiler could make a move up the draft board if he improves on his control. He took a big step last year. Another probably gets him into the first round.
James Simmons, RHP, UC Riverside
That's a nice K/BB ratio and ERA, but with a K rate of 8 and allowing 9 hits/9 innings probably is an indication his stuff isn't as strong as other pitchers. He enjoys enchiladas.
Nick Schmidt, LHP, Arkansas
Another big lefty starter. Schmidt is 6-2, 220 lbs. His profile is really similar to David Purcey, although he probably has a bit more control at similar points. BA ranked him at 42, but he looks (statistically) better than that to me.
Sean Doolittle, LHP, Virginia
Doolittle is another pitcher who I think may be drafted higher than his current ranking. BA had him at 47, but he looks to me like a typical 1st round pitcher.
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A lot of these pitchers were on Team USA this summer, which generally is a good indication that they're the cream of the college crop. Brackman, Doolittle, Price, Arrieta, St Clair, Moskos, Detwiler, and Schmidt were all on the team all pitched well. Here's a pdf of the stats, which also includes some of the hitters profiled a couple weeks ago.
An update on the Jays picks in the first two rounds:
David Price, LHP, Vanderbilt
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 104.0 | 3.81 | 12.7 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 7.3 |
| 2005 | 69.1 | 2.86 | 12.0 | 3.9 | 0.5 | 6.6 |
The early candidate for the #1 pick in the draft. The 6-5 lefty has power stuff and strikes out a ton of hitters.
Andrew Brackman, RHP, NC State
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 28.1 | 6.35 | 10.2 | 6.1 | 0.6 | 11.9 |
| 2005 | 43.0 | 2.09 | 9.0 | 3.8 | 0.0 | 6.7 |
Speaking of tall pitchers, Brackman is 6-10 (he even looks tall in a head shot). His limited innings in 2006 was due to a stress fracture in his hip.
Joe Savery, LHP, Rice
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 62.0 | 2.76 | 9.0 | 3.5 | 0.1 | 8.0 |
| 2005 | 118.2 | 2.43 | 9.8 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 7.9 |
Savery appears to have been hurt last year as he only pitched 62 innings. He also doubles as an infielder, with a .382 batting avearge.
Daniel Moskos, LHP, Clemson
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 53.2 | 2.52 | 9.1 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 7.4 |
Moskos is the closer for Clemson, pitching all of his innings in relief.
James Adkins, LHP, Tennessee
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 106.0 | 4.50 | 9.5 | 3.6 | 0.5 | 8.2 |
| 2005 | 127.1 | 3.32 | 9.6 | 3.6 | 0.6 | 7.6 |
Not to be confused with Atkins, the diet guy. Has two solid years of starting in college.
Cole St. Clair, LHP, Rice
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 74.1 | 1.82 | 12.1 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 4.7 |
| 2005 | 47.0 | 3.26 | 11.9 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 6.7 |
St. Clair is a favorite of mine. He's a big lefty (6-5, 225) who pitched out of the bullpen for all but two appearances with the Owls. However, there's a possibility that he has enough pitches to become a starter. It'll be interesting to see if a team tries to convert him to a starter in the majors like the Jays did with Dave Bush. His numbers as a sophomore look better than Craig Hansen's numbers as a junior (and would look even better with park and competition adjustments). He also had 43 Ks in 26 innings this summer for Team USA. Baseball America ranked him #19 which would be in the Jays area of the first round (see below) so I would imagine he's a definite possibility.
Jake Arrieta, RHP, TCU
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 111 | 2.35 | 9.0 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 7.8 |
A solid sophmore year starting for the Horned Frogs. His numbers are similar to Adkins, but the ERAs are much different, for whatever that's worth.
Joshua Fields, RHP, Georgia
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 50.0 | 1.80 | 10.1 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 6.5 |
| 2005 | 27.0 | 7.00 | 16.3 | 4.0 | 0.3 | 8.7 |
Another closer - Fields put up numbers a little worse than St Clair.
Ross Detwiler, LHP, Missouri St
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 93 | 2.81 | 9.6 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 7.1 |
| 2005 | 34 | 6.35 | 9.3 | 7.4 | 0.3 | 7.7 |
Detwiler could make a move up the draft board if he improves on his control. He took a big step last year. Another probably gets him into the first round.
James Simmons, RHP, UC Riverside
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 109.1 | 2.96 | 7.8 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 8.9 |
| 2005 | 36.2 | 2.95 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 9.2 |
That's a nice K/BB ratio and ERA, but with a K rate of 8 and allowing 9 hits/9 innings probably is an indication his stuff isn't as strong as other pitchers. He enjoys enchiladas.
Nick Schmidt, LHP, Arkansas
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 108.2 | 2.98 | 11.2 | 4.0 | 0.5 | 6.7 |
| 2005 | 90.2 | 2.88 | 8.1 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 7.7 |
Another big lefty starter. Schmidt is 6-2, 220 lbs. His profile is really similar to David Purcey, although he probably has a bit more control at similar points. BA ranked him at 42, but he looks (statistically) better than that to me.
Sean Doolittle, LHP, Virginia
| Year | Innings | ERA | K/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | H/9 |
| 2006 | 90.2 | 2.38 | 10.8 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 6.4 |
| 2005 | 49.1 | 1.64 | 12.1 | 2.9 | 0.4 | 5.7 |
Doolittle is another pitcher who I think may be drafted higher than his current ranking. BA had him at 47, but he looks to me like a typical 1st round pitcher.
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A lot of these pitchers were on Team USA this summer, which generally is a good indication that they're the cream of the college crop. Brackman, Doolittle, Price, Arrieta, St Clair, Moskos, Detwiler, and Schmidt were all on the team all pitched well. Here's a pdf of the stats, which also includes some of the hitters profiled a couple weeks ago.
An update on the Jays picks in the first two rounds:
#16 (from the Rangers - locked in now)
#21 (own 1st round pick)
#42 (for Speier - locked in now)
#53 (for Cat - pick will be no worse than #57)
#59 (for Lilly - pick will be no worse than #63)
#83 (own 2nd round pick - pick will be no worse than #89)
#86 (from the Angels - pick will be no worse than #92)
