Justin Orenduff
| IP | 515 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.614 |
| WHIP | 1.495 |
| BB/9 | 4.421 |
| SO/9 | 9.367 |
- Full name Justin A. Orenduff
- Born 05/27/1983 in Hagerstown, MD
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Virginia Commonwealth
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Drafted in the C-1 round (33rd overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2004 (signed for $1,000,000).
View Draft Report
Orenduff started his college career with George Washington, going 10-2, 1.68 as a freshman. He transferred to Virginia Commonwealth and bolstered the staff, going 9-3, 2.27 with 120 strikeouts in 90 innings as a sophomore. He pitched last summer for Team USA, where he was part of a dominant staff that won a silver medal in the Pan American Games. Orenduff went 6-0, 1.31 for Team USA on the summer, with 40 strikeouts in 41 innings, and started two of the team's four shutouts in the tournament. That performance and his three solid pitches put him in the mix to go in the first round, and he didn't hurt those projections with a 4-5, 2.49 performance so far this spring. He had 123 strikeouts against 31 walks in 94 innings for the Rams. He has a prototype pitcher's body, compact delivery, and loose, easy arm action. The 6-foot-4, 200-pounder works off a heavy 87-93 mph sinker, and supplements it with a deceptive changeup and a slider with cutter action.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The two pitchers who might have the least exciting stuff yet remain among the system's mix of pitching prospects because of their command and consistency are Orenduff and Steven Johnson. Orenduff suffered from shoulder inflammation in 2005 before missing most of 2006 with a shoulder injury that required surgery that August. He showed signs of recovering in 2007, but pitched past the fifth inning just six times in 23 starts and had a 5.12 ERA after the all-star break. Orenduff can cruise through a lineup once thanks to a fringe-average fastball, plus slider and average changeup, but the second time through he often had a hard time missing bats. His durability and lack of pure stuff might not allow him to remain a starter in the big leagues. His fastball sat near 88 and touched 92 last season. He has good feel for pitching and solid-average control. Orenduff could develop into a back-of-the-rotation starter if the Dodgers don't make a middle reliever out of him, which could happen as soon as this season. -
Orenduff bolstered his draft stock in the summer of 2003 when he helped USA Baseball's college national team win a silver medal at the Pan American Games. He pitched alongside Cla Meredith (Padres) and Sean Marshall (Cubs) at Virginia Commonwealth after transferring from George Washington following his freshman year in 2002. Orenduff logged well over 300 innings in his college career, including summer ball, and has shown signs of wear since signing with the Dodgers for $1 million. He opened 2006 in Double-A before his balky shoulder forced him to shut it down in May. He had surgery in August. Orenduff operates with a heavy, 88-92 mph fastball and a hard, 81-83 mph slider. His slider rates as a plus for both its quality and its command. He uses it too often, but it was a big reason righthanders batted .164 against him last year, compared to .297 for lefthanders. He also features a fringy changeup. Orenduff could find himself in a middle relief or set-up role when he gets back on the mound. His ceiling is as a back-of-the-rotation starter. He's expected to return to the mound by spring training, but he might not be ready for a full-season assignment on Opening Day. -
The Dodgers received two compensation choices in the 2004 draft when the Yankees signed Paul Quantrill. Los Angeles used the first one on Blake DeWitt and then popped Orenduff five picks later. At 33rd overall, he was the highest-drafted college pitcher by the Dodgers since they took Ben Diggins 17th overall in 2000. Orenduff was tired and had a lackluster pro debut but rebounded to reach Double-A in his first full season. His slider is his bread and butter. He tends to overuse it, as he throws it for strikes more consistently than his other pitches, but it has sharp bite at 82-84 mph when he stays on top of it. His fastball sits near 91-92 mph with boring action. His changeup has some late fade, though he doesn't have great feel for it. Orenduff's delivery is smooth and he's at his best when working from a three-quarters arm slot. He drops his arm angle at times, hindering his overall command. He experienced shoulder inflammation late in 2005, and Los Angeles would like to see him improve his stamina. He has a ceiling as an innings-eating, middle-of-the-rotation starter and could open 2006 in Triple-A. -
Orenduff bolstered his draft stock in the summer of 2003 when he was part of a dominant Team USA pitching staff that won a silver medal in the Pan American Games, going 6-0, 1.31 with 40 strikeouts in 41 innings. He finished second in the Colonial Athletic Association with a 2.43 ERA for Virginia Commonwealth last spring, and signed quickly with the Dodgers for $1 million in June. He became the Dodgers' earliest college draft pick since Ben Diggins (17th overall) in 2000. After pitching 100 innings for VCU in the spring, Orenduff's professional debut was uninspiring. He has a compact delivery and loose, easy arm action from a three-quarters slot. He operates with a heavy, 87-93 mph sinker, a hard slider and a fringe-average changeup. He has shown a tendency to rely too heavily on his breaking ball, which was the case in Rookie ball. Orenduff also needs to quicken his delivery from the stretch and hold runners better. He has outstanding makeup and could move fast through the system. He projects as a No. 3 or 4 starter but could pitch in middle relief as soon as 2006 if the Dodgers chose to move him to the bullpen. He'll open 2005 in high Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Orenduff handled the jump to high Class A to start his first full pro season with aplomb, not allowing an earned run in seven of his 12 FSL starts before a promotion to Double-A. He did a good job of pitching down in the zone with his fastball, which sat at 91-93 mph and touched 95. His slider is also a plus pitch, as it has good velocity and tilt. His changeup was much more erratic, varying between a fringe offering and a solid third pitch. Orenduff showed the ability to work both sides of the plate, changing speeds like a veteran. He has the frame and free and easy motion to be an innings-eater at the major league level.
Scouting Reports
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The two pitchers who might have the least exciting stuff yet remain among the system's mix of pitching prospects because of their command and consistency are Orenduff and Steven Johnson. Orenduff suffered from shoulder inflammation in 2005 before missing most of 2006 with a shoulder injury that required surgery that August. He showed signs of recovering in 2007, but pitched past the fifth inning just six times in 23 starts and had a 5.12 ERA after the all-star break. Orenduff can cruise through a lineup once thanks to a fringe-average fastball, plus slider and average changeup, but the second time through he often had a hard time missing bats. His durability and lack of pure stuff might not allow him to remain a starter in the big leagues. His fastball sat near 88 and touched 92 last season. He has good feel for pitching and solid-average control. Orenduff could develop into a back-of-the-rotation starter if the Dodgers don't make a middle reliever out of him, which could happen as soon as this season.
