The MWAH prospect countdown marches on and already we have our first sleeper. If you like raw, flame-throwing relievers who could end up being anywhere between the team's next closer and a Double-A flameout, boy do we have the guy for you. Reid Scoggins… come one down!
Reid Scoggins
Position: Relief Pitcher Highest Level: Low-A
Throws: Right Height: 6'3" Weight: 210 lbs.
Age: 22 Born: 7/18/90
2012 Season Stats
Rookie AZL: 17.0 IP, 1-0, 4.24 ERA, 13 H, 14 BB, 0 HR, 34 SO, 6.50 GO/AO, 2.02 FIP, .464 BABIP
Low-A: 3.1 IP, 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 3 H, 4 BB, 0 HR, 7 SO, 2.00 GO/AO, 2.60 FIP, .500 BABIP
Fastball – A. A+ grades are reserved for tools that are among the best in the world. Scoggins’ fastball is reportedly clocking in at over 100 mph, which would certainly qualify. However, in a short stint in Rookie Ball scouts merely saw him in the mid-90’s.
Off-speed Pitches – D. He possesses a slider that is definitely a work in a progress, but it shows so promise. He doesn't need it to be a wipeout pitch though so much as a "keep 'em honest" breaking ball to prevent batters from sitting on his heater.
Control – D. Like many relievers, Scoggins first stint in pro ball resulted in quite a few free passes.
Command – D. From what I’ve been told, Scoggins showed considerable growth in a short time frame in this department, leading many within the organization to believe that eventually, his control and command may eventually become a strength.
Mechanics – B. From what I’ve been told, Scoggins made a mechanical adjustment in his final season at Howard JC that resulted in less stress on the elbow, an added 5 mph of his fastball and increased command. He’s using more of his legs and body now, which helps given that he’s a big bodied pitcher.
Performance – B. The amount of strikeouts Scoggins recorded in his first stint in the major leagues was just silly.
Projection – A. As little as we know about Reid Scoggins, the one thing that keeps coming up is the idea/intrigue that he can be a future closer. It is on his fastball and projection alone that he can be rated among the Top 30 Angels Prospects.
Estimated MLB Arrival Date – 2015.
(*As always, the above scouting report is provided by Scotty Allen of LA Angels Insider)
Season Summary: Scoggins was a 15th round pick out of junior college in 2012. Obviously that doesn't give him too high of a profile, but his numbers in his brief first professional season have earned him some notoriety. There are plenty of hard throwers that come into the rookie ball and mow down batters who have never seen that kind of heat before, but Scoggins really stands out. It isn't even that he fanned a preposterous two batters per inning, but rather the manner in which he did it. Right now, Scoggins is pretty much all fastball, but it is an exceptional fastball that can touch triple digits and has a very heavy sink to it, which is why he also was able to induce an absurd number of groundballs. So, while his ERA isn't impressive, it is hard to ignore the a guy who seldom allows contact and when he does almost always keeps the ball on the ground.
Of course, Scoggins is far from a finished product. While he did generate a ton of whiffs, he also issued a lot of free passes, which is not abnormal for raw relievers in rookie ball. If he can improve his command and sharpen his slider, we could be talking about a future closer.
What to Expect in 2013: This coming season will be trial by fire for Scoggins as he will no longer get to feast on a bunch of kids straight out of high school and instead move up to A-ball full-time to see if his fastball is still as dominant and still as effective against batters who have a slightly better idea of the strike zone. Scoggins will also have to prove that he can hold up to a full season, as he is coming off Tommy John surgery that cost him his 2011 season. He's really only thrown about 40 innings in college and the minors since that surgery.
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