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Reply to "WHAT do Scouts look for -PITCHER"

Bobblehead,
I do beleive I have read what you have posted. Could you post the source?

What I have learned as a parent of a college RHP.

Regardless of whether you are a pitcher coming out of HS or college, if you do not light up the gun over 90, you are not a top prospect. I think more leway is given to HS pitchers at 17,18 than 22,23 year old pitchers. As a high school prospect, you DO NOT have to possess most of the above if you throw 90's, and just 6 ft. yo have room to grow and learn. As a HS pitcher, you do not necessarily have to win games.
For the very good pitcher coming out of college at close to 22,23 physical maturation is a big issue. If one is below 6 ft or a RHP not throwing 90, he will remain a college pitcher. And as a starter you need to win games. Also, IMO, after pitching 3-4 years in college, with significant innings in, as a top prospect, you need to be as close as you can be heading to MLB, because teams won't invest in you and wait around until you are older due to wear and tear on your arm. Ideally, a pitcher should go directly from HS to pro, especially one that is well over 6ft, and hits well into the 90's. But it doesn't alway work out that way.

I have seen an excellent college, control pitcher with ALL of the above under 6ft not get drafted. I have seen a 6'5+ pitcher throwing close to 95,96 with little of the above get drafted. I have also seen a pitcher with only 28 innings pitched total in 3 years, with some of the above get drafted because he hit triple digits. I know of another top prospect who pitched very little relief in college, taken in a very late round, has more time to develop because his arm is fresher. Also remember, there are different things that scouts look for in pitchers as starters, relievers and closers, so not all of the above has to be the ideal for every pitcher. You know that a starter needs many more pitches than the closer, doesn't need to throw mid 90's. You know the closer has to be a hard throwing mid 90's guy. A starter needs stamina to go teh distance, closer a good inning or two, but with stamina because of his high velocity.

Of course most of this is my opinion formed from information given to me by his pitching coach, scouts and advisor. I always felt if a pitcher had the control, the maturity, several great pitches, changed speed effectively, etc. it was enough. It's not.

The above infomation is very good, but scouting isn't and never will be an exact science.
Last edited by TPM
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