Jose Bautista (65)

Pos: Right Field	DOB: Oct 19, 1980	Ht: 6’0
Team: Toronto Blue Jays	B/T: R/R	Wt: 205

Current Role	Middle of the order power bat, perennial All-Star and among the league leaders in homeruns.
Yrs Left in Role	3-5 Years
Future Role	Age will force move off of RF and onto 1B/DH, offensive role will remain similar.

Stance/Hit Approach	Hands held high at head level gets them into good load position at shoulder level. Front foot turned inward with knees bent inward. Generates great separation and hard hip rotation. Suspended leg kick with long stride. Gets foot down in time with good rhythm and timing.
Physical Description	Medium size build with physical maturity throughout. Muscular definition throughout. Large hands and feet. Round rear. Strength and definition in upper body. Muscular chest. Has dealt with minor injuries over past several years, no major concerns over lingering effects.
Makeup	Extremely confident player, no fear in the batter’s box. Team leader who is not afraid to voice his opinion to teammates, coaches or the media. Very confrontational player. Intensely competitive, wears his emotions on his sleeve. Loves to be challenged by pitchers, is able to channel it into positive output.

Category	Present	Comments
Hitting Ability	55	Average hitter who prefers to pull the ball but is capable of adjusting and using all fields. Great bat speed with high finish to his swing that generates power and backspin.
Power	80	Plus, plus power. Mainly to his pull field. Has the power to hit the ball out to all fields, prefers to pull the ball. A lock for 30-40 homeruns annually. One of the best power hitters in the game today.
Running Speed	45	Below average speed, not a big part of his game based on his role as a slugger. Rarely shows speed when running down to first base.
Base Running	50	Average base runner who will steal 5-10 bases annually. Picks his spots well. Capable of going first to third. Doesn’t like getting dirty on a frequent basis.
Arm Strength	60	Plus arm strength, likes to show it off. Throws have carry and are on a line. Shows good technique, arm speed and foot work when charging the ball.
Arm Accuracy	55	Above average arm accuracy. Throws consistently on target. Occasionally throws to the wrong spot on the diamond in an effort to get ball back in quickly. Likes to utilize the turn and throw move when playing balls off wall.
Fielding	50	Makes all the plays he needs to make. Average reads and routes. Will occasionally show athleticism on diving plays. Defensive ability will continue to become weaker as he enters his late 30’s. UZR/DRS grade as fringe avg.
Range	50	Average range in all directions. Average reads and routes. Comfortable in right field, never seems out of place or over matched. Makes all the plays you expect to be made, no more no less.
Baseball Instincts	55	Shows slightly above average knowledge of game on all sides of the ball. Very knowledgeable hitter who gets what pitchers are trying to do to him and is able to make adjustments.
Aggressiveness	70	Extremely aggressive player on all sides of the ball. Bulldog mentality, not afraid to get in opponents or teammates faces. Gets in multiple verbal altercations with umpires and opponents on an annual basis.

Summation

Veteran right fielder who hits in the middle of the order with plus plus power from the right-side. Plus arm strength with the ability to play in right field, may have to move to first base or DH if he continues to be nagged by injuries. Average hitter who gets on-base and strikes fear into opposing pitchers. Perennial all-star player, consistently among league leaders in homeruns.

 

Marcus Stroman (55)

Pos: RHP (Starter/Reliever)	DOB: 5/1/1991	Ht: 5’9″
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/R	Wt: 185 lbs

Fastball: 60	Slider: 65	Command/Control: 50
Curveball: 45	Changeup: 45	Delivery: 45

Fastball: Stroman can hold good velocity on his fastball deep into his starts. It’s mostly 93-96 mph as a starter and ticks up slightly when he pitches in relief. The pitch is quite straight though, which can lead to more hard contact than you would like to see against a hard fastball like his. He has started to throw a cutter more often, but needs more movement overall on the fastball. Stroman’s biggest problem right now is his tendency to leave the ball up, as he is still learning to generate better downhill plane on his pitches. His short stature can make it difficult, but he is much more effective when working down in the zone.

Slider: His slider has been a plus pitch since he left college and has been a legitimate strikeout pitch since he got called up to the majors. Stroman’s slider has so much depth that he can use it effectively against both right and left-handed batters. It moves almost like a curveball at times, but he gets late downward movement on it too because he throws it hard at 85 mph with such tight rotation. Right now he mostly throws the pitch out of the zone, but if Stroman can throw his slider for more called strikes earlier in counts, he can prevent better hitters from sitting on the pitch with two strikes.

Curveball: Stroman’s curveball is similar to his slider in terms of movement, with a little more depth at about 80 mph. Sometimes the pitch will get caught in between a slider and a curveball when Stroman doesn’t throw it with tight enough rotation, allowing hitters to easily pick up the spin of the ball. He needs to refine the curveball if it is going to be an effective major league pitch.

Changeup: His changeup is thrown very hard, averaging almost 87 mph since he came to the big leagues. He uses it mostly against lefties and does not get many swings and misses, but rather lots of weakly hit ground balls. Right now the changeup is not a consistent pitch, but it shows the potential to a solid third or fourth weapon in his arsenal.

Delivery: Stroman’s delivery is simple and compact, which makes it easier for him to pound the strike zone. He does put quite a bit of stress on his arm however because he does not generate much power with his lower half, instead relying almost purely on arm strength. By incorporating more drive from his legs, Stroman could alleviate some of that stress on his arm and make it easier to hit the bottom of the strike zone. Hitters generally see the ball pretty well out of hands, so he could also use some deception in his delivery.

Control: Throws strikes consistently to get ahead in counts with his fastball. Outside of his fastball however, he does not command any of his other pitches particularly well and Stroman sometimes struggles to keep the ball down. When his pitches are delivered on a downhill plane, Stroman not only commands all of his pitches better, but also gets more late finish on them, preventing hitters from hitting the ball hard in the air.

Poise: He is a great competitor who shows a lot of confidence when on the mound. Stroman trusts the velocity and movement on his pitches to get outs, meaning he doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect with his location to be effective. He has an aggressive mentality as a pitcher, throwing lots of fastballs early in counts for strikes. Right now, it seems that Stroman has much more confidence in fastball than any of his other pitches, but he will need to learn to throw at least one of his off-speed pitches for strikes with consistency.

Physical Description: It has always been an uphill battle for Stroman to prove to skeptics that he could succeed as professional pitcher, especially as a starter. Stroman does not have the prototypical size of a starting pitcher, but he is very strong and certainly has good enough athletic ability. He definitely has the stamina to get through 100 pitches or more each start, but he will have to prove that his body can do that for a whole season over 180 innings or more. Stroman is however an above average athlete who has a smooth arm action, so as long as he can pitch efficiently, he should stick in the rotation and miss plenty of bats.

Projection: Despite his physical profile and subsequent limitations, there is no denying the talent Stroman possesses – he generates easy velocity, throws strikes and already has one plus off-speed pitch with the potential for more. He will probably not have to improve in terms of throwing more strikes, but instead throwing more quality pitches at hitters’ knees. Stroman has the potential to be a strong mid-rotation starter or better, but if even if he didn’t improve from what he is now, he would probably be a lights-out reliever for the Blue Jays.

Esmil Rogers (50)

Pos: RHP (Starter/ Reliever)	DOB: 08/14/1985	Ht: 6’1″
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/R	Wt: 190 lbs.

Fastball: 60	Curveball: 45	Command/Control: 45
Slider: 60	Changeup: 45	Delivery: 45

Fastball: Will sit between 92-95 mph mostly as a starter, with the ability to reach back for more when he needs it. As a reliever, he will throw his fastball anywhere from 95-98, still with great sink on the pitch, which can lead to him getting lots of ground balls when he keeps the ball down in the strike zone. He will occasionally throw a cutter, mostly to left-handers to pitch them inside. His ability to hold his velocity over the course of 100 pitches is one of the reasons he has a chance to remain a starter; however his fastball command has been an issue, but when he throws strikes early and gets ahead of hitters, it sets up the rest of his pitches.

Slider: Rogers throws a hard slider in the low to mid-eighties that is his best off-speed pitch and he will throw it to both left and right-handed hitters. Against righties the slider will generate a lot of swings and misses and keep hitters off balance. He mostly uses his slider to try and freeze left-handed hitters by throwing it back door. He has a tendency to hang his slider sometimes, which leads to him giving up a high number of home runs, especially playing in Rogers Centre and in the AL East. On days he is spinning a tight slider with confidence, a pitch he throws close to 30% of the time, the pitch can be almost unhittable.

Changeup: Rogers’ changeup is actually a good pitch, however he rarely throws it and the pitch has been inconsistent throughout his career. He uses it almost exclusively against left-handers, and he must continue to try and find some consistency with the pitch if he is to remain a starting pitcher. Rogers struggled against left-handed batters last season, when they hit a combined .294 with a .480 slugging percentage. This was mostly attributed to his inability to throw off their timing with just his slider. He cannot power his fastball by hitters the same way as a starter as he does in relief, therefore he needs to keep developing the changeup so he can pitch deeper into games.

Curveball: His curveball is below average and something he only uses to change the eye level of hitters or to keep them off balance early in their at-bats. It is probably his worst pitch, something that is not necessary for him to throw when he is in relief. In 2013, when he split about half his time pitching out of the bullpen and half as a starter, he threw his curveball just under 10% of the time (per FanGraphs).

Delivery: He has an inconsistent delivery, which can lead to command issues. Because of this, he can be prone to give up home runs and fall behind in the count. He has become disciplined in not handing out walks, but all major league players can crush even good fastballs when they know they’re coming, as is the case when Rogers falls behind in the count.

Control: Has good control, but he must learn to get ahead of hitters by throwing strikes early and mixing his pitches. Even when he does fall behind in the count, he would probably be better served not giving in to hitters by throwing his fastball, but instead throwing more off-speed pitches in those situations. This may lead to more walks, but also more strikeouts, a fair tradeoff, since Rogers walks relatively few guys and strikes out fewer batters as a starter.

Poise: 2013 was the first year of Rogers’ career in which he made 20 starts, and it seemed as though he was very comfortable for a while, putting together a dominant stretch of starts in June, in which he had a 2.27 ERA. Eventually though, it looked as though he became tired towards the end of the season, understandable as he had 137.2 IP, his highest total in the majors and his second highest total of his professional career since 2008 when he was still in the minors. He has a good idea of how to make adjustments to his approach and help his team win, whether it comes out of the bullpen or as a starter.

Physical Description: Rogers is a good athlete with a lean body who can also field his position pretty well. Has never pitched 150+ innings in his career, so whether or not he can stick as a full-time starter is still an unresolved question. It is quite likely that he can however, since he does not have any glaring mechanical flaws in his delivery, is relatively young and is in good shape.

Projection: Rogers is quite a versatile pitcher to have on a roster, since he can bring value either as a reliever or starter. When asked to pitch one inning at a time, he can be a dominant late-game reliever who racks up a lot of strikeouts. Even in the role of a swingman, where he could pitch multiple innings in relief, he would have value because he could still have more than 100 IP. However, he will be most valuable to his team if he can remain a starter and make the necessary adjustments to pitch 180+ innings. He deserves at least a shot at making Toronto’s rotation, with the option of shifting him into a different role if a better solution within the organization emerges.

Jose Reyes (65)

Pos: SS	DOB: 6/11/1983	Ht: 6’1″
Team: Toronto	B/T: S/R	Wt: 195 lbs.

Batting: 65	Speed: 75	Arm: 70
Power: 45	Defense: 60

Stance: Switch-hitter with a very similar stance from both sides of the plate. Keeps his knees bent and stands close to the plate while keeping his hands high with little movement, even as he loads his swing. Stays very balanced through his swing and does a good job keeping his front shoulder closed until contact, allowing him to use the whole field.

Approach: Reyes uses a short swing to make a lot of contact and make use of his greatest asset – his speed, which he can use to help him get on-base and steal bases once he’s there. He is not the most patient hitter, meaning he will not draw many walks, but he does excel at fouling off tough pitches with two strikes so he can get himself better pitches to hit later in the at-bat.

Hitting Ability: Excellent plate coverage; is able to make contact with pitches in any part of the strike zone and even some that are outside of it. Does a good job shortening his swing against better velocity and with two strikes. Can spray the ball to all fields and has enough power to hit a lot of balls to the gaps and occasionally drive pitches out of the park.

Power: His decent raw power does not play as well in games, mostly because of his contact/line-drive-oriented approach, which means his home runs are mostly on mistake pitches out over the plate on which he can more easily drive the ball.

Running: Among the fastest players in all of baseball, even if he has lost some speed over the years. A very good base-stealer because of his combination of great speed, good reads off pitchers and explosive acceleration.

Fielding: His explosiveness also helps him cover a lot of ground at shortstop where he can still be a plus defender, although he has lost a step since he first came up to the majors. He has good hands, a very strong arm along with a quick release. He does however throw from a low arm slot, which gives his throws a tendency to tail. That coupled with his short arm action make his throwing mechanics somewhat inconsistent, leading to a fairly high number of errors.

Physical Description: Reyes remains a great athlete, but he has had his troubles staying healthy throughout his career. Over the last five seasons, Reyes has missed a total of 262 games. Injuries and age have already diminished his athleticism slightly, and this will be a concern moving forward, since his speed and quickness are such a big part of his game. Most of his injuries have been minor leg injuries, and he has avoided any serious injuries, suggesting that his recent run of injuries are more the result of bad luck and not because he has become injury-prone.

Projection: Reyes is still an all-star level talent if he can stay healthy enough to turn that talent into production. In many ways he is one of the Blue Jays most important offensive players, as he is one of the top leadoff hitters in the league when you consider his hitting ability and value on the basepaths. His ability to play above average defense at a position with such a low baseline for offensive production makes him a very difficult player to replace when he is injured. If he can stay healthy however, and play close to 150 games, he is a pretty safe bet for three or four WAR (wins above replacement) with even more upside if he can repeat his play from years like 2011 when he had a line of .337/.384/.493 (AVG/OBP/SLG).

Edwin Encarnacion (70)

Pos: 1B (DH,3B)	DOB: 01/07/1983	Ht: 6’2
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/R	Wt: 230

Batting: 65	Speed: 50	Arm: 55
Power: 75	Defense: 60

Stance: Open stance, keeps his hips open. Keeps his hands low around the letters before raising them up to shoulder level as the ball is released. Keeps his knees bent and his upper body tall, almost leaning his upper-half back a bit. Strides into a closed stance with a small leg lift/toe tap trigger.

Approach: Very aggressive hitter, goes up to the plate looking to swing early and often. Likes the ball up and in or down and away, while struggling with balls down and in and up and away. Will chase the breaking ball down and in but has relatively strong plate discipline and solid strike zone recognition.

Hitting Ability: Swings for the fences with every swing. Looks to pull the ball and has an uppercut swing that he tries to generate power with. Typically will hit around .270-.280. Hits equally as well against both LHP and RHP. Pulls the ball on the infield, but hits it too all fields in the air. Walks a tonne and doesn’t strikeout all that often for such a big time power hitter, has surprisingly walked more than he has struck out this season.

Power: Plus plus power, with majority of his power coming to the pull field. Capable of hitting 35-40 homeruns annually. His power plays in all ballparks and is consistently among the league leaders in homeruns.

Running: Has sneaky speed, that allows him to take more bases than a typical slugging first baseman. Capable of taking 10 bases a year, with relatively strong success rates. Hustles hard when he sees an opportunity to score or take an extra-base, and dogs it when he doesn’t. Has however improved his focus and concentration on the base paths.

Fielding: Above average defensively at first base, having come up as a third baseman. Has solid range in all directions, with soft hands and the ability to make tough picks out of the dirt. Has a strong arm, especially for a first baseman but lacks accuracy on it and frequently rushes his throws.

Physical Description: Big hulking frame that carries bad weight, despite improved conditioning. Has a large upper body, with relatively muscular legs. Has decent weight distribution, but lacks muscle definition. Major concerns over adding bad weight in the future.

Projection: A perennial All-Star who has proven that he can be a middle of the order power hitter who plays solid defense and can run the bases a bit. Will consistently be among the league leaders in homeruns. As quickly as he has spiked his performance he could lose it as he has a bad body that will not age well as he enters his 30’s. Expect him to decline quickly over the next few years.

Colby Rasmus (55)

Pos: CF	DOB: 08/11/1986	Ht: 6’2
Team: Toronto	B/T: L/L	Wt: 190

Batting: 40	Speed: 50	Arm: 60
Power: 65	Defense: 70

Stance: Has made countless changes to his batting stance and approach over his career. Currently has a straight up stance, with a slight bend in the knees and hunched over the plate. Keeps his hands slightly above the letters and out away from his body. Has his head fully facing the pitcher. Uses a leg lift trigger.

Approach: A dead red hitter, who sits fastball and struggles to hit off-speed pitches. Will show patience, and has a solid understand of when to be aggressive and when to be patient. Struggles mightily with pitch recognition, and strike zone awareness.

Hitting Ability: An incredibly streaky hitter, who can go on tears and then fall off the face of the earth. Not going to hit for a high average, lucky to break .250, and typically hits around the .240 mark. Strikes out a tonne (almost 1/3 of his at-bats) and doesn’t walk much. Really struggles with off-speed pitches, and will consistently chase them down and out of the strike zone. Gets dominated by left-handed pitchers. At his best when he is hitting the ball to all fields, instead of selling out for his power and pulling the ball.

Power: Has a tonne of power that plays mainly to the pull field, slightly to centerfield. Capable of hitting around 25 homeruns annually. His power plays in any ballpark.

Running: Has good speed that plays well on the defensive side of the ball, but doesn’t play as well on the bases. Looks like he is just gliding around the field and never appears to be hustling hard. Has the speed to steal 10-15 bags a year, but lacks the desire and base running ability. Frequently gets caught stealing and because of that has begun to decrease the amount of chances he takes on the bases.

Fielding: Gold Glove level defender in centerfield. Glides to the ball and gets great reads off the bat. Has a strong arm with solid accuracy. Great range in all directions and easily makes catches on the run. Plays the ball off and around the wall well.

Physical Description: Athletic frame that could still add weight throughout. Has a short upper body with long arms and legs. Broad shoulders and a powerful back. Has strong weight distribution with some muscle definition. Currently no concern over adding bad weight.

Projection: Has unbelievable tools, but struggles with the mental side of the game. Can play elite level defense in center field, and offers great power, but struggles to hit for average and use his speed on the bases. If he can ever put all of his tools together he could easily be a perennial All-Star. Worst case scenario he is a solid starter who could eventually be forced into a platoon role because of his struggles against lefties.

Brett Cecil (50)

Pos: LHP (Reliever)	DOB: 07/02/1986	Ht: 6’1
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/L	Wt: 215

Fastball: 50	Curveball: 55	Command/Control: 55
Slider: 45	Changeup: NA	Delivery: 50

Pitch #1: Fastball, low to mid 90’s velocity. Has arm side movement to it, that moves late. Doesn’t move a tonne as it just slightly changes planes, but the velocity is back up to where it once was and the movement is late. Has great control and command over it, likes to work it east to west. Leaves it up a bit too much, but has enough velocity and movement to get away with it for the most part.

Pitch #2: Curveball, low 80’s velocity. Has real good late movement, that drops off the table with 11-5 movement. A swing and miss pitch that he can also throw for strikes. Has a lot of trust in it, with good command and control over it. Uses it a lot and in any situation.

Pitch #3: Slider, mid 80’s velocity. Has sweeping movement that changes plains slightly. Doesn’t bite hard but moves fairly late. A solid pitch that he has good command and control over. Not going to get a tonne of swings and misses from it, but will throw it for called strikes and mix it in once and a while.

Delivery: Throws from the stretch, with a slow slightly above the belt high leg lift. Falls off hard to the third base side, but keeps his head straight up and towards the plate. Has difficulty repeating the amount he falls off the mound. Throws from a three-quarters arm slot, and puts a bit of strain on his arm but he doesn’t require max effort. Doesn’t offer much deception from the delivery. Has a good pickoff move to first base. Stands on the third base side of the rubber.

Control: Likes to work east to west with each of his pitches. Has really figured things out this season, has much better control. Has become a strikeout an inning guy that doesn’t walk many hitters. Attacks the strike zone and doesn’t waste time. Has always been much better against lefties, but has shown the ability to get righties out as well this year. Mixes his pitches well and does a good job of keeping hitters off balance. Has a bit of a tough time controlling the ball to his arm side on occasion.

Poise: Relies a lot on confidence, as when things are good they are great but when things are bad he is a mess. Seems to have taken a major step forward this year and has shown great confidence and trust in his stuff. Really aggressive on the mound, attacking the strike zone. Works quickly and wants to pitch.

Physical Description: Big frame that carries some bad weight throughout, doesn’t have any muscle definition. Has powerful legs, with a real big back and broad shoulders. Needs to strength his core and add more muscle definition throughout his frame. Has long arms and legs. Not a huge need to subtract weight just improve on the weight he has. Concern in the future that he will continue to add bad weight.

Projection: Has turned his career back around and looks like a potential late inning reliever who can get both righties and lefties out. Strikes out guys, attacks the zone and throws strikes. Capable of pitching a full inning and being more than just a lefty specialist. Must show that this is not a flash in the pan, but could become a solid setup man.

Brandon Morrow (65)

Pos: RHP (Starter)	DOB: 07/26/1984	Ht: 6’3
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/R	Wt: 200

Fastball: 70	Slider: 75	Command/Control: 50
Splitter: 50	Curveball: 40	Delivery: 50

Pitch #1: Fastball, mid to high 90’s velocity. Has rising movement, with some arm side run. Moves early and late, real tough pitch that generates a lot of swings and misses. Not afraid to elevate it and blow it past hitters. Struggles to control it but has great command over it, getting consistent break on it.

Pitch #2: Slider, mid to high 80’s velocity. Real tight sweeping and downward movement. Bites hard in a downward motion, and moves late. A fantastic pitch that he has great command over, keeps it down in the zone fairly well. Likes to mix it in as a strike out pitch but mainly uses it to start off an at-bat.

Pitch #3: Splitter, low to mid 80’s velocity. Up and down movement that bites hard and late. Struggles to control and command it. Often leaves it up in the zone and struggles to get it down. Best used as a chase pitch down and out of the zone.

Pitch #4: Curveball, low 80’s velocity. Hard downward movement, moves late and bites hard. Struggles to throw it for called strikes, mainly a chase pitch. Tough for hitters to lay off at times and uses it effectively against aggressive hitters.

Delivery: Uses a slow delivery with explosive hip rotation. Has a slightly above the belt leg lift with a lot of hip rotation before exploding towards the plate. Uses a three quarters arm slot and drops down with his push leg before rotating his hips. Struggles to stay tall with his upper body at times. Not the easiest delivery to repeat, but doesn’t put much strain on his arm and does offer some deception. From the stretch only lowers his leg lift slightly, and is slow to the plate. Stands on the third base side of the rubber.

Control: Strikes out a tonne of guys, but also walks too many. Struggles with pitch economically and gets into too many deep counts. Has improved his ability to work in all directions, but still struggles to get his fastball down in the zone. Misses over the plate too often.

Poise: Gives up to easily when things are not going his way. Struggles to perform in games that are close or when things go bad early. Takes his time in between pitches. Has a tough time with runners on, shows visible frustration on the mound but will never bark at umpires. Very quiet player.

Physical Description: Tall muscular pitcher, with a muscular back and neck. Could add size and strength to his lower half. Has decent weight distribution, and solid muscle definition in his upper body. Needs to focus on strengthening his thighs and legs. No concern over adding bad weight.

Projection: Strong #2-#3 starter who needs to become more reliable and consistent in order to take that next step. Has incredible stuff but the mental toughness is lacking at times. Has the chance to be an All-Star contender annually.

Josh Johnson (65)

Pos: RHP (Starter)	DOB: 01/31/1984	Ht: 6’7
Team: Toronto	B/T: L/R	Wt: 250

Fastball: 55	Slider: 75	Command/Control: 65
Curveball: 60	Changeup: 45	Delivery: 55

Pitch #1: Fastball, low to mid 90’s velocity. Four seam fastball that doesn’t move much has some arm side rise and run. Doesn’t command it very well, and when his velocity and/or control is off it becomes a very hittable pitch. When his velocity is right he can blow it by guys up in the zone. Needs to be more aggressive with it and pitch inside.

Pitch #2: Slider, mid 80’s velocity. Has great downward movement with cut to it. A strikeout pitch that moves late. Has great command and control over it, keeps it down in the zone. Can throw it for a called strike or as a swing and miss pitch. Has a lot of confidence in it. Works it mainly to the first base side of the plate against batters from both sides of the plate.

Pitch #3: Curveball, mid to high 70’s velocity. A slower version of his slider. Has a bit of cutting movement as it crosses the plate, making it even more difficult to hit. Has good command and control over it, keeping it down in the zone. Mixes it in as a strikeout pitch.

Pitch #4: Changeup, mid to high 80’s velocity. Has slight up and down movement, with some arm side run. Up and down movement is fairly early, while the arm side run is late. Has decent command over it, although it will straighten out on occasion. Struggles with control over it, leaving it in the middle of the plate to often.

Delivery: Slow delivery with a letter high leg lift, sort of lunges towards the plate. Low effort delivery that is fairly easy to repeat. Struggles to repeat the arm slot on occasion, as he uses a high three quarters arm slot. Puts a lot of strain on his shoulder. Doesn’t generate much deception and doesn’t have a real big stride. Stands on the third base side of the rubber. Doesn’t quicken his delivery much from the stretch and can fall asleep with runners on-base, not changing his looks.

Control: Needs to work inside more consistently. Pitches in all directions, keeps the ball down in the zone well. Good command over off-speed stuff, struggles with his control and command over fastball.

Poise: Has had struggles with velocity dips, mainly in cold weather. Has a tendency to give up when things aren’t going his way, needs to show more toughness. Lacks mental toughness and bulldog attitude.

Physical Description: Big tall lanky pitchers body. Has real long arms and legs. Decent weight distribution with strong thighs and small calves. Big broad shoulders. Not much muscle definition. Could add weight to his arms and legs, but not to his midsection as it is already border line. Must continue to watch weight around midsection.

Projection: Front half of the rotation starter who fits best in a #2 or #3 role. Has had struggles with velocity but when he is right is a perennial All-Star and occasional Cy Young candidate. Durability has been an issue throughout his career.

R.A. Dickey (70)

Pos: RHP (Starter)	DOB: 10/29/1974	Ht: 6’2
Team: Toronto	B/T: R/R	Wt: 215

Knuckleball: 80	Fastball: 40	Command/Control: 60
Slider: NA	Changeup: NA	Delivery: 60

Pitch #1: Knuckleball, low 70’s to low 80’s velocity. A hard knuckleball with a lot of movement. Moves early and continues to dance all the way into the catcher’s glove. Has consistent movement, but the direction is inconsistent. Very difficult to control pitch that Dickey has good control and command over.

Pitch #2: Fastball, low to mid 80’s velocity. A mix in pitch that has little arm side movement. Has great control over it but it has little movement and little velocity. Will only throw 10-15 a game.

Delivery: Uses a letter high leg lift. Slow deliberate delivery with a high three quarters arm slot. Easy to repeat delivery with very little effort. Stands on the first base side of the rubber. Fairly quick from the stretch as he uses a slide step.

Control: Has great command and control over the knuckleball. Does a great job of keeping it around the zone. Throws a lot of pass balls because it moves so much not because of a lack of control. Will strike out a lot of batters, but doesn’t walk many considering how difficult the knuckleball is to control.

Poise: Works quickly and isn’t intimidated by big hitters. Hasn’t pitched in any big games or the playoffs. Has confidence in himself and shows great maturity on the mound.

Physical Description: Tall frame with solid muscle distribution. Broad shoulders, with long arms and legs. Could add muscle definition to lower half. Must watch weight around mid-section as his frame is susceptible to adding bad weight. Does not have a UCL in his right elbow.

Projection: A frontline starter as long as his knuckleball continues to dominate. Capable of contending for Cy Young awards and being an annual All-Star. Will have to prove himself every year, especially with a move to the AL East.