Drafted in the 31st round (941st overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2004.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Richmond joins Jamie Romak as a developing Canadian who could be on the verge of a breakthrough. With his command of three pitches and advanced feel for pitching, Richmond was the Appalachian League's 2006 pitcher of the year and ERA leader. He works both sides of the plate with a 90-91 mph fastball that features late cutting action, making it difficult for hitters to center the ball. He still has projection in his lanky frame and could add more velocity. His curveball and changeup are average pitches that he locates well, and he's not afraid to throw the curve when he's behind in the count. His 52-4 K-BB ratio was even more pronounced than teammate Tommy Hanson's. Some scouts label Richmond as a slinger, but he repeats his delivery well and pounds the strike zone. He'll move up to low Class A in 2007.
Minor League Top Prospects
Richmond is yet another Canadian find for the Braves, following in the footsteps of sluggers Scott Thorman and Jamie Romak. He grabbed Appy pitcher-of-the-year honors after leading the league in ERA (1.21), finishing second in wins (seven) and posting an even gaudier K-BB ratio than teammate Hanson (52-4). Richmond's fastball command is strong and rapidly improving. He locates his 90-91 heater on both sides of the plate and gets good run, which makes it tough for batters to center the ball. Richmond's curveball and changeup are average, though he wasn't afraid to go to his breaking ball when behind in the count. A quality athlete, he excels at fielding his position, holding runners and getting the ball to the plate quickly. "He pitches near-perfect baseball," Runge said. "He gets a lot of groundball and flyball outs, but not a lot of strikeouts yet. He has present plus command of all three of his pitches, which leads to lots of quick innings."
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