Brandon Cumpton

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #11 prospect in 2014
  The Pirates have been undecided about Cumpton's role, starter or reliever, ever since drafting him in 2010. He reached the big leagues as a starter in 2013 and did well in spot usage, which included seven shutout innings versus the eventual National League-champion Cardinals. Cumpton does not overpower batters, especially as a starter, as his fastball sits in the 91-92 mph rage. He complements it with a good, low-80s slider that is particularly tough on righthanders. His changeup comes and goes. Cumpton still needs to be more consistent with his control and command, but he showed good mound presence in Pittsburgh, not to mention a pronounced groundball tilt. Just five minor league pitchers who qualified for the ERA title in 2013 had a higher groundout/airout ratio than Cumpton (2.4). Yet some Pirates officials believe he would fit better as a set-up man, owing to his peak velocity of 96 mph during short stints in spring training. If Cumpton can master the changeup, he could wind up as a strike-throwing, mid-rotation starter.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #25 prospect in 2013
  Cumpton was 31-3 as a high school pitcher in Georgia, winning 4-A state titles in his junior and senior seasons, but was inconsistent during his time at Georgia Tech and has put up middling numbers as a pro. He has a 90-92 mph fastball that occasionally gets up to 94, along with a decent slider. He showed improved command of those pitches last season in Double-A, but his changeup remained inconsistent. Used almost solely as a starter in pro ball, Cumpton posted a 2.57 ERA in 11 relief appearances in the Arizona Fall League. He may be better suited for the bullpen because he's able to get his fastball up to 96 mph in short bursts and doesn't have to worry about throwing the changeup. He has no problem finding the strike zone, but he has yet to show he can miss bats in either role. Cumpton gave the Pirates food for thought with his AFL performance, and they'll decide in the spring whether he returns to the Altoona rotation or jumps to the Indianapolis bullpen.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #28 prospect in 2012
  Cumpton went 31-3 in high school and won back-to-back Georgia 4-A state championships before having an up-and-down career at Georgia Tech. Despite his uneven performance and questions some teams had about his durability, the Pirates drafted him in the ninth round in 2010 and have been pleased with his development. Cumpton pitches at 89-93 mph with his fastball and has answered the stamina concerns by holding his velocity deep into games. He relies heavily on his heater, throwing it for strikes on both sides of the plate and showing some glove-side life. He has tightened up his curveball to give him a second solid pitch. The next step is refining a changeup. Cumpton throws a lot of strikes but his control is significantly sharper than his command. While some scouts think he'd be better served in middle relief, where his pitches would play up, Pittsburgh believes he has a chance to reach the majors as a No. 3 or 4 starter. He'll make the jump to Double-A this season.