6/05/2008 04:49:00 PM

Meet The Yankees First Round Draft Pick--Gerrit Cole

Posted by Mark McCray |


Player Name: Gerrit Cole

Position: Starting Pitcher
School: Orange Lutheran HS (Calif.)
School Type: High School
Academic Class: Senior
Birthdate: 09/08/90
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190 lbs.
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Report Date(s): 03/08/08
Game(s): Tesoro HS




Fastball:Cole was throwing 95-98 mph early and settled in at 92-94 throughout his start.
Fastball movement:He usually has plus arm-side sink and bore, though he was fairly straight in this outing.
Slider:It's an average pitch now, which he throws 78-82 mph, but it projects as a plus pitch in the future. It has some depth coming from a 3/4 arm angle.
Changeup:It's a little too firm at 79-80 mph, but he's got a good feel for it.
Control:He's an above-average strike-thrower for a high schooler, letting his stuff work for him in the zone.
Poise:His makeup on the field can be an issue, as he gets animated with umpires and teammates at times.
Physical Description:Cole is a projectable high school right-hander who compares a bit to Kyle Farnsworth.
Medical Update:Healthy.
Strengths:His projectability and his stuff, with the ability to throw three average to plus pitches, and to throw them for strikes.
Weaknesses:He has some mechanical issues with his delivery, with an arc in the back and a tendency to throw across his body; he gets too emotional on the mound.
Summary:A projectable high school right-hander with the capability already to throw a fastball up into the upper 90s is bound to garner interest. Throw in a future plus slider and a changeup, all for which he can throw for strikes, and it's no wonder Cole is considered one of the top prep pitchers in the class. He's going to have to work out some kinks in his delivery and he's got Scott Boras as an advisor, but neither of those issues should keep him from being drafted early.

There is no question that Cole's stuff is among the best in the 2008 class. His fastball has reached into the mid 90's, and he has shown a biting breaking ball in the low 80's along with a developing changeup. Opinions vary on the quality and repeatability of his mechanics and arm action. As a result, there is some debate as to whether his future will be at the front of a rotation or the back of a bullpen.

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