- Full name Mark Michael
- Born
- Profile Throws: R
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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A two-way star in both high school and college who played third base and shortstop, Michael has dealt with injuries and inconsistency since focusing on the mound as a pro. He came down with shoulder problems in 2004 and had minor surgery to repair fraying in his rotator cuff and a small ligament tear. He worked with a physical therapist in the offseason to get stronger and improve his range of motion, and said he felt better than ever in spring training. Still, he came down with shoulder tendinitis that kept him out for nearly two months in the middle of the season. Michael has very good stuff, working around 93 mph and touching 95 with his lively fastball. He considers his changeup to be his best pitch, though it remains inconsistent, and has an effective curveball. He's athletic, fields his position well and owns a strong pickoff move. Most of his problems are the result of mechanical breakdowns, when he doesn't stay on top of the ball in his delivery. That causes control difficulties--which persisted last year as he had 10 wild pitches and hit 14 batters in 82 innings--and puts stress on his shoulder. Michael showed at the end of 2005 that he was healthy again, so now he needs to put in a full year to work on his delivery and move forward in his development. He'll likely return to high Class A to start the season. -
Michael was a two-way player both in high school--at Gloucester (N.J.) Catholic High, which won the national high school championship in 2000--and college, playing his freshman year at Old Dominion before transferring to Delaware for two seasons. The Cardinals selected him in the fourth round solely for his mound prowess even though he went 3-4, 6.96 in his draft year of 2003. The early returns were promising--until Michael came down with shoulder problems in his first full season. Doctors initially thought he had tendinitis, but he had surgery after an MRI revealed a frayed rotator cuff and a small ligament tear. He would have been ready for instructional league had the Cardinals' camp not been canceled because of hurricane damage. When healthy, Michael shows an 89-93 mph fastball that's a plus pitch because of its movement. His curveball and changeup should become average. He likes to work inside and tied for the Midwest League lead by hitting 19 batters last year. He's still learning how to pitch and needs to show better control (he also led the MWL with 23 wild pitches) as well as the confidence to make quality pitches when he's behind in the count. He sometimes rushes his delivery, which causes his arm to drop from its usual three-quarters slot. Michael showed enough before his injury that the Cardinals will move him up to high Class A if he's healthy in spring training. -
Michael was a two-way standout for Gloucester (N.J.) Catholic High when it won the 2000 national high school championship, and the Twins made him a 21st-round pick. He went to Old Dominion instead and transferred to Delaware after his freshman year. He spent more time hitting than pitching before 2003, playing the corner infield positions and DH. The Blue Hens used him on the mound last spring and the results weren't pretty: 3-4, 6.96 with 27 walks, 12 wild pitches and 16 hit batters in 53 innings. The Cardinals liked his live arm, though, and think he could develop quickly after signing for $220,550 as a fourth-round pick. He made consecutive starts without a walk late in the season and looked very sharp in his lone victory. Pitching coordinator Mark Riggins and short-season New Jersey pitching coach Sid Monge worked on Michael's mechanics because he opened up too soon and his arm dragged, getting his delivery out of sync. The adjustments made an immediate difference. Michael throws 89-94 mph from a three-quarters arm angle, sitting at 91 most of the time. His curveball and changeup both show potential. He has a big, projectable body and could add velocity as he gains experience. He still has screws in his elbow from surgery he had in high school, but his health isn't a concern. While Michael is definitely a project, the early returns were promising. If he pitches well in low Class A to start the season, he could move quickly.