Jerry Sullivan Stats & Scouting Report

IP	501
ERA	4.437
WHIP	1.341
BB/9	2.461
SO/9	7.671

Full name Gerald Michael Sullivan
Born 01/18/1988 in Denville, NJ
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Oral Roberts
Drafted in the 3rd round (83rd overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2009 (signed for $430,200).

View Draft Report

Sullivan has won all-conference honors and led Oral Roberts to the Summit League regular-season and tournament championships in each of his three college seasons, but coaches and scouts think he may just be scratching the surface of his potential. A top high school prospect for the 2006 draft before Tommy John surgery in November 2005 caused him to miss his senior season, Sullivan offers a nice combination of present stuff and future projection. His fastball sits in low 90s and touches 94 mph, and he does a good job of using his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame to throw it downhill. His heater also features armside run, and he usually commands it well. He's still working on the consistency of his secondary pitches. When he's at his best, his slider is a slightly above-average pitch and his changeup is a plus offering. A strong, well-conditioned athlete, he repeats his delivery well and throws strikes. Sullivan, who has pitched well in two summers in the Cape Cod League, slumped slightly as a sophomore before bouncing back this spring. A potential No. 3 starter in the majors, he figures to get drafted between the third and fifth rounds.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Sullivan had Tommy John surgery as a high school senior, but he rebounded to lead Oral Roberts to three consecutive Summit League championships, earning all-conference honors each year. The Padres signed him quickly for $430,200 as a third-round pick and placed him on the same track as college righthanders Jeremy Hefner (2007 draft) and Anthony Bass (2008), who all spent most or all of their first full seasons in the Midwest League. Sullivan combined impressive arm strength with a feel for the strike zone--he ranked fifth in the MWL with 2.2 walks per nine innings. He pitches at 91-93 mph and tops out at 94-95 in shorter stints, with occasional cutting action and life. He comes from a high three-quarters arm slot and cuts off his delivery, which affects his command. Sullivan throws a future average slider at 82-84 mph, but he needs more separation on his changeup, which falls in the same velocity range as his breaking ball. A plus athlete, Sullivan takes charge of the running game--8 of 15 basestealers (53 percent) to test him were thrown out in 2010. He has the size and potentially the three-pitch mix to profile as a back-of-the-rotation starter, but if the changeup does not improve, look for him to make his way to the bullpen. He fits the organization's profile for a reliever at Petco Park, and he'll head to high Class A in 2011.
Hailing from the same Oral Roberts program as Jeremy Hefner, Sullivan might have turned pro as an early pick out of high school if he hadn't had Tommy John surgery prior to his senior year. In each of his three years of college, he led the Golden Eagles to a Summit League championship and earned all-conference honors. He signed quickly for $430,200 as the Padres' third-round pick in 2009. With an ideal pitcher's frame, Sullivan showed a quality fastball and the potential for two solid secondary pitches during his pro debut. He delivers 91-92 mph fastballs from a steep downhill plane and touches 94 on occasion. His ball runs naturally to his arm side. He has a power slider that's a plus pitch at times and loopy at others. He'll continue refining his strong changeup now that he'll need to use it more in pro ball. Sullivan's clean delivery is a product of his athleticism, though like most all young pitchers, he'll fly open at times, pulling his pitches to his arm side. The Padres want to get him on line to the plate more consistently. A smart pitcher, he varies his time to the plate and stymies the running game--just six runners attempted to steal when he was on the mound. Sullivan offers enough present stuff and future projectablity to make him an intriguing mid-rotation prospect. He'll probably open his first full pro season in low Class A, with the chance for a midseason promotion.

Minor League Top Prospects

Like Scahill, Sullivan recovered from a serious injury as an amateur. He had Tommy John surgery before his high school senior season but went on to star for three years at Oral Roberts before becoming a third-round pick in June. Sullivan sits in the low 90s with his fastball and dials it up to 94 on occasion. He also throws a slider and a changeup that show promise but are still currently works in progress. He uses his big frame to his advantage by staying on top of his pitches and throwing with a good downward plane. He has a tendency to fly open a little bit in his delivery, pulling his pitches to his arm side and resulting in some extra walks, so the Padres are working to get him on a more direct line to home plate. He should be able to make the adjustment because he's a good athlete with a strong work ethic.