BaseballAmerica.com: Draft: Tim Alderson, rhp, Giants

Tim Alderson, rhp, Giants

June 7, 2007

B-T: R-R
Ht: 6-7. Wt.: 208.
Birthdate: 11/3/1988.
School: Horizon HS, Scottsdale, Ariz
Class: Sr.

THROUGH THE YEARS IN BASEBALL AMERICA

2007

ï¿½ Alderson has the best command of any high school pitcher and is only behind Josh Vitters in terms of being close to the majors.
ï¿½ Alderson is the top prospect from Arizona.
ï¿½ Jim Callis said the Detroit Tigers could take Alderson with their first round draft pick.
ï¿½ Alan Matthews examined Alderson's pinpoint control in a feature story.
ï¿½ Alderson ranked No. 22 in our High School Top 50 Prospects list.
ï¿½ Alan Matthews said Alderson is a rare combination of a pitcher with a herky-jerky delivery and excellent command.
ï¿½ At least one scout came away impressed by Alderson's showing at the Cleats National High School Invitational.
ï¿½ Alderson was a preseason third-team All-America selection and No. 26 on our preseason High School Top 100 Prospects list.
ï¿½

2006

ï¿½ Alderson checked in at No. 17 in our sneak preview list of the 2007 draft prospects.
ï¿½ Alderson pitched for the Team USA Juniors during the summer.
ï¿½ At the Area Code Games, Alderson was the No. 19 ranked prospect in attendance.
ï¿½ Alderson struck out two of the three batters he faced in the Aflac All-American Classic.

SCOUTING REPORT

Alderson has had a high profile for awhile, and he has handled pressure well throughout his career. He was on the mound when USA Baseball's junior national team lost to Korea in the gold-medal game of the World Junior Championship last September, but he thrived with the team, striking out 12 in eight innings without allowing an earned run. In mid-May, he threw a complete game to help Horizon High win the Arizona 5-A championship, as he allowed 13 hits in a 9-6 victory but still struck out 13. (It was the second state-title victory of his career, as he also went five innings for a victory as a sophomore.) Pitching exclusively out of the stretch, Alderson repeats his mechanics, and they allow him to fill up the strike zone, to the tune of a 34-inning streak without a walk this season. It's unheard-of command for a 6-foot-7 prep pitcher. In one May start, he threw 61 strikes out of 72 pitches. However, Alderson goes full tilt on pretty much every pitch, lands hard on his front leg and gets little extension in his delivery. Scouts are split on his future role, but most consider him a reliever even though he already has two plus pitches and throws both for strikes in routine fashion. Most contend he would not hold up physically or mechanically as a starter over 200 innings, yet his stuff is so good at present--90-92 mph fastball that touches 94, 78-80 mph curveball and the makings of an average changeup--that they hesitate to recommend changing what makes him so attractive now. His stuff and track record say "first-round pick" but the projected future role--Like college closers? Try drafting a high school closer--likely knocks him out of the first round.

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