Jamie Vermilyea
| IP | 6 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 0 |
| WHIP | .833 |
| BB/9 | 0 |
| SO/9 | 3 |
- Full name Jamie Jordan Vermilyea
- Born 02/10/1982 in Tucson, AZ
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School New Mexico
- Debut 04/22/2007
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Drafted in the 9th round (260th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2003 (signed for $68,500).
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The state's top college pitching prospect is 6-foot-4, 195-pound RHP Jim Vermilyea, who didn't put up the numbers this spring that he did last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he had a 1.35 ERA in a closer role. He still had a solid season and showed command of three pitches--a sinking 89-91 mph fastball, 81-82 slider and splitter--while becoming a more complete pitcher. A possible fourth- to sixth-rounder, Vermilyea's come a long way from being the No. 3 starter on his high school team.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Vermilyea fits perfectly in an organization that relishes drawing walks and abhors giving them up. He owns a 154-32 strikeout-walk ratio in 165 pro innings, and he showed off his fine command by spinning a seven-inning perfect game in his third outing in Double-A. The Blue Jays shuttled Vermilyea between the rotation and bullpen all year to get him extra work, and he'll likely be a reliever in the majors. He has a more diverse repertoire than most relievers, starting with an 89-91 mph fastball with plus run and sink. His 79-82 mph slider features sharp, late break. He changes speeds and planes with his 80-83 mph splitter, his curveball and his fading changeup. He even added a cutter late in the season to attack lefthanders. Vermilyea struggles with his delivery from the stretch because he lacks balance, but he generates average arm speed with a three-quarters arm slot and gets good extension out front. He could open 2005 in Triple-A and make his major league debut later in the year. -
Vermilyea had one of the best debuts of any 2003 draftee, on the heels of one of the best careers in New Mexico history. Vermilyea set single-season marks for starts and innings as a sophomore and junior, sandwiched around a star turn (1.63 ERA) in the Cape Cod League in 2002. He led the Mountain West Conference in strikeouts and innings (112 in 126) in 2003, then posted a 78-7 strikeout-walk ratio in pro ball. Vermilyea was a workhorse in college, but the Jays project him as an effective middle reliever. He throws a fastball in the high 80s, topping out around 89. His heater plays much better than that thanks to exceptional late life, especially down and in to righthanders, generated by a low three-quarters arm slot. Vermilyea's slider is well-above-average and one of the best in the organization, featuring late live and two-plane action. He also throws a splitter and commands all three pitches well. If the Jays start him, Vermilyea will have to be precise with his fastball's fringy velocity. As a middle reliever, he could move quickly. He'll begin this year in high Class A.
