BA Newsletter: Get Analysis, Rankings Delivered To Your Inbox!

Michael Wacha

#52 | RHP
San Diego Padres San Diego Padres
Michael Wacha
Name: Michael Joseph Wacha
Born: Jul 1, 1991 in Texarkana, TX
High School: Pleasant Grove HS, Texarkana, Texas
College: Texas A&M
Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 215 lbs
Bats: R / Throws: R
 IPERAWHIPBB/9SO/9
2023623.481.152.768.27
Career1,215.24.021.302.887.98
Drafted in the 1st round (19th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 (signed for $1,900,000)
After the consensus top three college pitchers (Stanford's Mark Appel, Louisiana State's Kevin Gausman, San Francisco's Kyle Zimmer) go off the board, Wacha could be the next one selected. He owns the best changeup in the draft, a pitch that can be devastating when he sets it up with a 90-93 mph fastball that peaks at 96. His command also is as good as any pitcher in this crop, as is his competitiveness. He also has an athletic 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame and delivers his pitches on a tough angle to the plate. The only thing keeping him from being considered on the top tier of college arms is the lack of a plus breaking ball. Wacha made progress with a slider last summer under the tutelage of Team USA pitching coach Rob Walton, and he also throws a curveball. Wacha generally sticks with whichever breaking pitch is working best on a given day. Both pitches can get loose at times and project as no better than average at the big league level. Despite that one shortcoming, he still could find his way into the first 10 picks. He may not have the ceiling of Appel, Gausman or Zimmer, but Wacha has a higher floor.
Career Statistics
  • Career Statistics
  • 2023 Game Logs
  • 2023 Splits
  • Spring Training
Loading
Loading
Split TypeAVGGABRH2B3BHRRBIBBSOOBPSLGOPS
Split TypeWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOAVGOBPSLGWHIP
Loading
Loading
Loading
Loading
Loading
of Free Stories Remaining