IP 224
ERA 5.746
WHIP 1.558
BB/9 5.143
SO/9 7.795
  • Full name Wade D. Townsend
  • Born 02/22/1983 in Austin, TX
  • Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Rice
  • Drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2005 (signed for $1,500,000).
    View Draft Report
    Rice's Philip Humber, Jeff Niemann and Townsend went in the first eight picks of the 2004 draft, making them the highest drafted trio of teammates ever. Unlike the other two, however, Townsend didn't sign a lucrative major league contract. The Orioles opened negotiations by lowballing him with a $1.6 million offer--$600,000 below Major League Baseball's recommendation for his draft slot--and he eventually turned down $1.85 million before deciding to return to Rice to complete his degree. He gambled that he still could negotiate if he renounced his college baseball eligibility, but MLB ruled against him. Townsend spent April and May working out for clubs, and for the most part showed the same stuff he had in 2004. He wasn't in game shape, so he didn't maintain his velocity past three simulated innings, but he pitched at 90-92 mph with his trademark spike curveball and an effective changeup. Though he has the repertoire to start, most teams project Townsend as a big league reliever because they say his intensity fits best in that role. Because most in the scouting community believe Baltimore botched the negotiations, Townsend's signability isn't a factor held against him. He's expected to sign quickly for close to slot money, and was rumored as high as the top two picks as a budget choice. That talk dimmed when his fastball sat at 85-89 mph in consecutive mid-May workouts, but he's still a polished pitcher with a track record of success.

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