Brooks Pounders

Among California preps, Temecula Valley High righthander Brooks Pounders has split scouts more than any other player. Pounders' father Brad was a star at UC Riverside and played in the Padres farm system in the 1980s. Brooks is a jumbo-sized 6-foot-5, 240-pounder, who despite his intimidating size is not a fireballer. Instead, he has a feel for four pitches and advanced secondary stuff. His fastball ranges from 88-90 mph, peaking at 91. He throws both a tight curveball and hard slider, both of which have plus potential, and rounds out his repertoire with a changeup. Pounders' frame is not projectable, so he doesn't figure to throw much harder in the future. His fastball is fairly straight, and his command can be inconsistent. Those factors may combine to depress Pounder's draft position, and if he slides he'll end up at Southern California.