Austin Hyatt Stats & Scouting Report

IP	447.0
ERA	4.17
WHIP	1.260
BB/9	3.0
SO/9	9.5

Full name Austin Parker Hyatt
Born 05/23/1986 in Atlanta, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Alabama
Drafted in the 15th round (467th overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009.

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The rest of Alabama's roster includes several players who should be drafted in the eighth- to 15th-round range. Righthander Austin Hyatt, the staff ace this year, is a quality senior who is a command-oriented fastball/changeup pitcher, with the changeup his best pitch.

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Hyatt's hometown Braves took him in the 23rd round out of a suburban Atlanta high school, but he opted to attend Alabama, from where the Phillies signed him for $2,500 as a fifth-year senior in 2009. He has starred in the minors, earning Florida State League most valuable pitcher honors in 2010 and leading the Double-A Eastern League with 171 strikeouts last year. He gets by more on command and deception than overpowering stuff, similar to Julio Rodriguez. Hyatt adds and subtracts from his 87-93 mph fastball that gets occasional sink, but he tends to leave it up in the zone. He relies heavily on his plus 75-78 mph changeup with parachute tumble. He has worked hard to develop his slider, a 76-80 mph offering with occasional sharp bite. Hyatt has a high-effort delivery and there are some concerns about his arm action, which also inhibits hitters from seeing the ball well. Depending on the development of his slider, Hyatt could be used as a back-end starter, though likely not in Philadelphia's rotation unless it comes in an emergency situation. He'll advance to Triple-A to open this season.
Hyatt was drafted in the 23rd round out of a suburban Atlanta high school by his hometown Braves in 2004, but he opted to attend Alabama instead. He didn't get picked again until the Phillies made him a 15th-round choice as a fifth-year senior in 2009, but he has moved quickly since signing for $2,500. In 2010, his first full pro season, he was named the Florida State League's most valuable pitcher before finishing the year in Double- A. Hyatt relies on command rather than plus stuff. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph with decent late life. His best pitch is his changeup, which gets so much late tumble and fade that it resembles a curveball or forkball. He also throws a short slider in the low 80s, a pitch that grades as average. Hyatt will need to keep throwing and improving his slider so he can do a better job of getting righthanders out. He made enough progress with it in 2010 that Philadelphia believes he can stay in the rotation. He'll join J.C. Ramirez at the front of Reading's rotation in 2011.