Drafted in the C-1 round (43rd overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 (signed for $800,000).
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McCormick showed a first-round arm in high school, when his fastball rarely dipped below 92 mph and reached as high as 98. But he slipped to the 11th round in 2002 because he was primarily a one-pitch pitcher and showed a lack of composure on and off the diamond. The reputation followed him throughout his first two years at Baylor, but he has made strides as a junior. McCormick has the most electric arm in Texas, still pitching at 92-95 mph and often touching 96-98. He peaked at 101 mph last summer in the Cape Cod League all-star game. McCormick got hit hard early this spring before he started keeping his fastball down in the strike zone. His curveball is much improved now that he trusts it and uses it more often, and while it can be inconsistent it also can be an out pitch. He has done a better job of throwing strikes and has made every start after missing one due to a suspension and six with shoulder stiffness in 2004. McCormick does not come without questions, however. Because his command can be sporadic, he doesn't always dominate. Scouts still worry about his makeup and his ability to handle pressure. His adviser, Scott Boras, is always an issue for teams, though he's considered one of the more signable players in Boras' stable. In spite of the concerns, McCormick should go off the board in the second half of the first round.
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McCormick once was prized as the most powerful arm in the system, but that was a couple of summers and several injuries ago. He blazed out of Baylor with a 95-mph fastball but has thrown only 64 innings the past two seasons, including just eight in 2007 as he rehabbed his shoulder. He had shoulder surgery after pitching through soreness for most of the 2006 season. When healthy, McCormick can still bring it--but he just can't control it. He regularly throws in the mid-90s with his fastball and has cranked it even higher on occasion. He also has a hard curveball that rates as above-average. His control is lacking, however, and his delivery isn't as polished as might be expected from a college pitcher. Developing a third pitch will take a back seat for now to staying healthy. Despite plus stuff, McCormick rarely has dominated hitters, thanks to too many walks and too many high pitch counts. He'll stay with starting because his stuff is too electric not to give him every opportunity to make the most of it, but relieving looms as a more likely use of his talent. He'll likely open the season back in high Class A.
McCormick has been a top prospect since high school. In his first full pro season, he earned a promotion after 11 starts in low Class A, but pitched just four more innings because of shoulder inflammation. McCormick consistently brings power stuff to the mound. He was blowing mid- to upper-90s fastballs as a prep phenom and continues to throw in that range as a starter when he's mechanically sound. His hard curveball is one of the best breaking pitches in the system. Despite his electric stuff, McCormick never has consistently dominated opponents. He walks too many hitters and runs up high pitch counts. He's still trying to find a comfortable grip for a changeup. McCormick should be 100 percent for spring training after resting in the offseason. The Cardinals will use him as a starter in high Class A this year, but he long has been considered a possible closer candidate. In that role, he could flourish with just two pitches.
McCormick has been throwing in the mid-90s since he was in high school, but he dropped to the Orioles in the 11th round because of questions about his signability, immaturity and complementary pitches. He went to Baylor and didn't start to shed that rap until 2005, when the Cardinals drafted him 43rd overall and signed him for $800,000. McCormick had one of the best power arms in the 2005 draft, pitching consistently at 92-95 mph and topping out at 97-98 all year long. His hammer curveball can be a plus pitch when it's on and his changeup should be average. Because he still is working on his control, McCormick doesn't always dominate as his stuff would indicate. His complementary pitches are inconsistent, and righthanders tee off on his curveball when it's not sharp. He worked on changeup grips last summer. Cardinals scouts loved McCormick's arm, and their stat analysis loved his college strikeout rates. If his power package comes together, he could be a dominant starter. He'll open 2006 at one of St. Louis' Class A stops.
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Rated Best Fastball in the St. Louis Cardinals in 2007
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