Max Scherzer

Expected to be the first righthander selected in the 2006 draft, Scherzer has slipped a few notches this spring. He missed an early-season start after slamming a door on the middle finger of his pitching hand, and five more at midseason with biceps tendinitis. Since coming back from the tendinitis, he has only flashed the mid- to upper-90s velocity he showed throughout 2005 with Missouri and with Team USA during the summer. Scherzer has pitched more at 91-92 mph, often peaking at 95. While he has one of the best pure arms in the draft, he doesn't consistently have a second plus pitch. His slider is effective but usually rates as a 50 or 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale. He has added a wide-grip changeup and a two-seam fastball in the last year, and he's still refining his secondary pitches. While he has toned down his delivery in college, he still throws with more effort than Joba Chamberlain or Luke Hochevar. More than most of the top pitching prospects in this draft, Scherzer may be better suited as a closer than as a frontline starter. Add that to his abbreviated spring and his choice of advisers (Scott Boras), and Scherzer could slide into the middle of the first round.