• Full name Dace J. Kime
  • Born 03/06/1992 in Fort Wayne, IN
  • Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: R / Throws: R
  • School Louisville
  • Drafted in the 3rd round (79th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2013 (signed for $525,000).
    View Draft Report
    Defiance (Ohio) High already has sent Chad Billingsley and Jonathon Niese to the majors, and a third alumnus may be on the way. Kime nearly signed with the Pirates for $400,000 as an eighth-round pick in 2010, but he decided to attend Louisville instead. He's now the best prospect among a deep group of Bluegrass State college pitchers that could produce six picks in the first 10 rounds in June. Kime has spent most of his college career as a reliever, pitching his way out of midweek starting assignments at the start of his freshman and junior seasons. He did pitch well after the Cardinals put him back in the rotation when another Defiance product, Anthony Kidston, hurt his shoulder in late April. With a sturdy build (6-foot-5, 219 pounds) and a deep arsenal of pitches, Kime is equipped to succeed as a starter. He throws a lively 92-95 mph fastball that may lose a bit of velocity once he gets regular work in the rotation. He has the wipeout curveball that's the trademark of Defiance pitchers, and he mixes in a cutter and changeup. His control has improved this spring, though he'll have to show that it too can hold up with a heavier workload. A team that believes Kime can make it as a starter in pro ball could choose him as early as the third round.

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