Ryan Warner
| IP | 174 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.966 |
| WHIP | 1.466 |
| BB/9 | 3.828 |
| SO/9 | 5.483 |
- Full name Ryan David Warner
- Born 01/21/1994 in Colorado Springs, CO
- Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Pine Creek
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Drafted in the C-B round (128th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2012 (signed for $363,700).
View Draft Report
There must be something in the water . . . of the 48 players drafted out of Colorado to make the big leagues, 35 have been pitchers. That's a group that includes Goose Gossage, Roy Halladay, Jay Howell, Brad Lidge, Brandon McCarthy and Sergio Romo. Warner has a body scouts can dream on at 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds. He has room to fill out, which scouts love because Warner already has present stuff. His fastball sits in the 87-89 mph range and tops out at 91. He also throws a spike curveball with good downward bite, a pitch that has tightened up a lot since the summer showcase circuit. Warner is a great athlete, too, especially for his size. He was a standout wide receiver and quarterback on Pine Creek's football team that lost in the state championship and he patrols center field when he's not pitching. The athleticism shows on the mound, as Warner repeats his delivery well, shows good body control and gets sharp downward plane on his pitches from a three-quarter arm slot. He is still a project, however, as he needs to learn a changeup and prove himself against better competition, but a team that believes in him may push him up their board and keep him away from his commitment to North Carolina State.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Rockies lured Warner, a Colorado Springs native, away from a North Carolina State commitment, possibly the only organization that could have done so. He grew up a Rockies fan and wanted the opportunity to play for the organization. Warner signed for a $363,700 bonus as a supplemental third-round pick in 2012. He worked on a 60-pitch limit that summer as he began his career at Rookie-level Grand Junction. then pitched a team-leading 88 innings at short-season Tri-City in 2013. The 6-foot-7 Warner is a good athlete who played quarterback and wide receiver in high school. He shows maturity on the mound, a feel for his craft and can make adjustments more quickly than most young pitchers. His size enables him to create a downhill angle on his fastball, though he needs to locate it down better. His curveball improved notably as the 2013 season progressed and has the makings of an above-average pitch. His changeup is a work in progress. He tired late in the season, causing his arm slot to drop. That reduced his velocity slightly to 88-89 mph and took away the bite on his curveball. As he learns to work his stuff lower in the zone and keep his arm slot up, Warner should regain the sharp break on his curveball and get his fastball back to 90 mph. He's still very projectable and will pitch at low Class A Asheville in 2014. -
Warner committed to North Carolina State and would have gone there had any team but the Rockies drafted him. Growing up in nearby Colorado Springs, he seized the opportunity to play for the team he followed growing up and signed for $363,700 as a supplemental third-round pick last summer. He made his pro debut in the Pioneer League, where he was on a 60-pitch limit and got knocked around a bit. For his size, Warner is a very good athlete, and he played at quarterback and wide receiver on his high school football team. His 6-foot-7 frame is the kind scouts can dream on, and his size gives him the natural ability to create a downward angle with his fastball that causes a lot of ground balls and swings and misses over the top of the ball. He has a quick arm and usually ranged from 89-90 mph with his fastball, topping out at 93, so his velocity is likely to rise as he fills out. He has a true, firm curveball that he'll be able to command well and could turn into a strikeout pitch, and he shows good deception with his changeup, though it needs development. He shows maturity and competitiveness on the mound, complemented by intelligence and an ability to make adjustments. Warner will likely move up to Tri-City in 2013. He's a project but offers intriguing upside.
Draft Prospects
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There must be something in the water . . . of the 48 players drafted out of Colorado to make the big leagues, 35 have been pitchers. That's a group that includes Goose Gossage, Roy Halladay, Jay Howell, Brad Lidge, Brandon McCarthy and Sergio Romo. Warner has a body scouts can dream on at 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds. He has room to fill out, which scouts love because Warner already has present stuff. His fastball sits in the 87-89 mph range and tops out at 91. He also throws a spike curveball with good downward bite, a pitch that has tightened up a lot since the summer showcase circuit. Warner is a great athlete, too, especially for his size. He was a standout wide receiver and quarterback on Pine Creek's football team that lost in the state championship and he patrols center field when he's not pitching. The athleticism shows on the mound, as Warner repeats his delivery well, shows good body control and gets sharp downward plane on his pitches from a three-quarter arm slot. He is still a project, however, as he needs to learn a changeup and prove himself against better competition, but a team that believes in him may push him up their board and keep him away from his commitment to North Carolina State.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The first Colorado high schooler taken in the 2012 draft, Warner signed for $363,700 to play in the Rockies system instead of going to North Carolina State as a quarterback. A fierce competitor who took a step forward in the NWL, Warner succeeded despite fairly average fastball velocity that usually parked in the low 90s. He offers plenty of projection and proved durable, making every start this summer. ?He?s consistently down in the zone with good angle and late break,? Tri-City?s Saylor said. ?During the latter part of the season, he could sometimes throw an Adam Wainwright-like breaking ball and had such good command of his changeup. When he started to smell blood, he attacked like a barracuda.?
