Bailey Ober

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #300 prospect in 2017 draft
  Ober's career has gone sideways since a 10-win freshman season that included a USA Baseball invite that summer. He missed 2015 with Tommy John surgery but never has gotten back to his early-career peak, when his fastball would reach 94 mph. He missed starts down the stretch of 2017 with back pain. At his best, Ober has deception and downhill plane in his 6-foot-9 frame, and he'll flash a plus changeup. His breaking ball remains slurvy and ranges from below-average to fringy. He's a good competitor and strike thrower with a 1.98 walks per nine average over nearly 260 college innings.
• Ranked #467 prospect in 2016 draft
  Ober had a Freshman All-American season in 2014, going 10-3, 1.52 for the Cougars, but he missed all of 2015 with Tommy John surgery and spent most of this spring trying to get back to what he was. At 6-foot-8, 215 pounds, Ober has long stood out for his sheer size. Throwing in the upper 80s early this season, Ober started sitting consistently around 90 mph near the end of the spring, touching as high as 92. He's never been overpowering, more of a command-oriented pitcher despite his size. His changeup is his most reliable offspeed offering, but he also throws a slurvy breaking ball. A redshirt sophomore, Ober isn't a lock to sign, as he's reportedly asking for top-five-round money.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Ober pitched to incredible success in the minors—a 2.41 ERA in nearly 200 innings with 244 strikeouts and just 26 walks—and made his big league debut this season as a fill-in for Michael Piñeda. Ober is 6-foot-9 but is more finesse than power. He sits 92 mph and tops out near 94, relying mostly on throwing his breaking pitches for strikes and locating his changeup. He could be an internal rotation option for the 2022 club if he finishes the year strong.