He had his second straight shutout yesterday vs. UCLA and Gerrit Cole (I'm pretty sure he was the Yankees 1st round pick). 9 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 12 K, 0 BB. His stats on the season:
115.2 IP
14-1
6 CG's (2 SHO)
66 H
128 K
18 BB
1.24 ERA
0.73 WHIP
Here was an interesting blurb on his Pac-10 play:
The performance also capped an impressive run for Leake in Pac-10 play, as he went 9-0 with a 1.27 ERA and 87 strikeouts in nine starts. In those nine starts, he pitched 77 2/3 out of a possible 81 innings, including six complete games.
What's the scouting report on him. I know he has been projected as a mid 1st round pick, but it would make sense to draft him at #10 if we are going the cheap route.
Here is his scouting report on MLB.com:
Fastball: Leake threw his fastball from 88-94 mph. It sat comfortably around 91 mph.
Fastball movement: There was above-average sink and plenty of side-to-side movement, with some run to it. He changes arm angles for different looks.
Slider: It's a hard, downward slider, thrown 79-82 mph.
Curve: An average offering ... not an out pitch. He can throw it for strikes in the 73-76 mph range.
Changeup: Close to a plus pitch and he'll throw it at any point in the count.
Control: He has plus, plus command, perhaps a 70 on the scouting scale.
Poise: It's a plus, plus attribute. He has the presence to pitch in the big leagues right now. He's more of a lead-by-example guy -- soft-spoken, but confident.
Physical Description: Leake is an undersized righty, but is athletic and strong, kind of like a Tim Hudson type.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Four pitches that are all usable and the ability to command all of them extremelly well. He's extremely durable, having thrown as many innings as just about anyone in the class over the past few seasons.
Weaknesses: There's a little hip turn in his delivery, but it doesn't affect him. There will be those who'll be concerned about his size.
Summary: As a six-foot righty, people may want to overlook Leake as a big-time pitching prospect, but they might be missing the boat. He can throw four pitches for strikes and his poise is off the charts. He may not be that big, but he's athletic, strong and durable with an extremely efficient delivery. He's done nothing but perform with the Sun Devils and whoever looks past his size could have themselves a steal.
