Stephen Tarpley

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #17 prospect in 2016
  The Pirates acquired Tarpley and fellow lefty prospect Steven Brault from the Orioles in the January 2015 trade for Travis Snider. Both pitchers wound up having outstanding seasons, and they established themselves as the two best lefties in the Pittsburgh system. Tarpley began his collegiate career at Southern California before transferring to Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC in order to return home to the Phoenix area and be eligible for the 2013 draft. Despite being held back at extended spring training until late May, Tarpley shined at low Class A West Virginia in 2015, showing much more consistency with his mechanics than he had with the Orioles. Tarpley can reach 95 mph with his fastball and is one of the few pitchers in the Pirates system with a four-pitch mix, for he also has a good curveball and changeup while also dropping in an occasional slider. Tarpley can neutralize righthanded batters at his best because he attacks the strike zone and keeps them guessing with different pitch types. His control grades as comfortably above-average-- he walked just 1.9 batters per nine innings in 2015--so he profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter who is ready to tackle high Class A Bradenton in 2016.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #16 prospect in 2015
  An Indians eighth-round pick out of high school in 2011, Tarpley chose to attend Southern California, where he made 13 starts as a freshman. He transferred to Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC, and the Orioles drafted him in round three in 2013 and signed him to a slot $525,000 bonus. The strong-armed Tarpley made big improvement during a 2014 season that began with him struggling during extended spring training starts and ended with him dominating at short-season Aberdeen. In his last two starts with the IronBirds, he allowed one run in 15 innings with 18 strikeouts. Tarpley pitches in the low 90s, touching 94 mph, with a hard curveball, a changeup he commands well and a slider. During the season, Tarpley made big strides in repeating his delivery, which led to more consistent command. If that continues, he may have No. 3 starter potential. He likely will begin 2015 in the low Class A Delmarva rotation.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #21 prospect in 2014
  An eighth-round pick of the Indians out of an Arizona high school in 2011, Tarpley chose to go to Southern California and made 13 starts as a freshman, going 5-3, 3.22 in 78 innings. He transferred to Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC so he would be eligible for the 2013 draft and posted a 2.35 ERA and 108 strikeouts (fourth-best in NJCAA) in 92 innings in a wood-bat junior college league. Tarpley signed for $525,000 as a third-round pick (98th overall) in the 2013 draft. He pitched mostly at 90-92 mph with a fastball that showed good life in the zone and touched 96. He also throws a curveball and changeup, but the Orioles took away his slider for now so he can improve his curveball. At times Tarpley needed several innings of work before his fastball velocity would rise to accustomed levels. With better extension in his delivery, he would have more consistent velocity and finish his breaking ball. Orioles officials want to see him cut loose more often and improve the tempo in his delivery. Tarpley has the stuff to start and should begin 2014 in the low Class A Delmarva rotation.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #123 prospect in 2013 draft
  Tarpley could be the third Gilbert (Ariz.) High graduate to get drafted in 2013, joining D.J. and Dustin Peterson. Tarpley was an Indians eighth-round pick out of Gilbert in 2011, choosing instead to go to Southern California. He made 13 starts as a freshman and went 5-3, 3.22 in 78 innings, but he transferred to Scottsdale so he would be eligible for the 2013 draft. Early in the season for the Fighting Artichokes, Tarpley was sitting at 92-93 mph with his fastball, topping out at 95. But he has a thin, 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame and seemed to wear down later in the season, when his fastball was more in the 88-90 mph range, topping out at 92. He also throws a curveball, slider and changeup. Tarpley can be stiff on his front side, which elevates his fastball and makes it difficult to get on top of his breaking balls. Athletic lefthanders who touch 95 don't typically last long in the draft, and Tarpley could go as high as the second round.

• December, 2015 Scouting Report
  The Pirates acquired Tarpley and fellow lefty prospect Steven Brault from the Orioles in the January 2015 trade for Travis Snider. Both pitchers wound up having outstanding seasons, and they established themselves as the two best lefties in the Pittsburgh system. Tarpley began his collegiate career at Southern California before transferring to Scottsdale (Ariz.) CC in order to return home to the Phoenix area and be eligible for the 2013 draft. Despite being held back at extended spring training until late May, Tarpley shined at low Class A West Virginia in 2015, showing much more consistency with his mechanics than he had with the Orioles. Tarpley can reach 95 mph with his fastball and is one of the few pitchers in the Pirates system with a four-pitch mix, for he also has a good curveball and changeup while also dropping in an occasional slider. Tarpley can neutralize righthanded batters at his best because he attacks the strike zone and keeps them guessing with different pitch types. His control grades as comfortably above-average-- he walked just 1.9 batters per nine innings in 2015--so he profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter who is ready to tackle high Class A Bradenton in 2016.