Mike Foltynewicz

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Houston Astros #3 prospect in 2015
  Foltynewicz wasn't a consensus first-round pick when the Astros picked him 19th overall in 2010, but since signing for $1.3 million, he's developed into one of the top power arms in the minors, consistently throwing 96-100 mph. He made his major league debut in August, spending the last two months in the big league bullpen. Foltynewicz has an electric arm and crazy arm strength. He hits 100 mph in virtually every appearance and holds his top-of-the-scale velocity. His breaking ball--which some call a slider, some a curveball--is an above-average offering that misses bats. His aggressive, inefficient delivery costs him control, not to mention command, and he lacks feel for the strike zone. Trusting his premium stuff more would help. His changeup is below-average because he slows his arm noticeably when throwing it. Scouts who believe Foltynewicz can start liken him to Angels righty Garrett Richards, for he has top-of-the-rotation stuff with present below-average control. If he can't harness his delivery, he's a hard-throwing reliever. He likely will begin 2015 at Triple-A Fresno, though he could push his way on to the big league roster with a strong spring.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #4 prospect in 2014
  Foltynewicz wasn't a consensus first-round pick when the Astros picked him 19th overall in 2010, making him the first Illinois high school pitcher to be selected in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001. He's developed into one of the top power arms in the minors and reached Double-A Corpus Christi for the first time in his third full season. No minor league starter touched 100 mph more often in 2013 than Foltynewicz, and he hit 101 and 102 on occasion. He doesn't locate his fastball with precision, so even when he's sitting 96-98 mph, it flattens out, making it a hittable pitch. When he locates down in the zone, it's a wipeout pitch with good sink. The Astros let him work on both his slider and curveball again after emphasizing the slider in 2012. While both breaking balls can be plus, he throws as many below-average offerings as above-average ones.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #5 prospect in 2013
  Foltynewicz signed for $1,305,000 as the 19th overall pick in 2010. After a rough introduction to full-season ball in 2011, he benefited as much as any Astros farmhand from increased depth in the organization. He repeated low Class A in 2012 and was named the South Atlantic League's pitcher of the year, tying for the league lead in wins (14) while ranking fourth in ERA (3.14). More mature physically and in terms of his preparation, Foltynewicz learned to pitch off his fastball in 2012. He now relies more on a four-seamer that ranges from 93-99 mph, a pitch he pairs with his curveball to work up and down in the strike zone. His curve shows signs of becoming a plus pitch with good shape and bite, though it gets slow and loopy at times. Scouts see the ability to spin a breaking ball, however. Foltynewicz's changeup remains ahead of his curve, earning average to plus grades from scouts. He has an ideal frame with athleticism, and the Astros believe he should develop into an innings-eater. He's still a bit raw when it comes to defense and holding runners. Improving his fastball command and the consistency of his secondary pitches are Foltynewicz's goals for 2013, when he'll either have to survive high Class A Lancaster or skip a level to Double-A. He has the upside of a No. 2 starter.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #9 prospect in 2012
  The Astros signed the top high school pitcher out of Illinois in back-to-back drafts in Tanner Bushue (second round, 2009) and Foltynewicz (19th overall, 2010). Recipient of a $1.305 million bonus, he lost his first nine decisions as a pro, including six of his first seven starts in 2011. A classic raw Midwestern prep pitcher, Foltynewicz is the best homegrown arm in the system. He combines a good pitcher's frame and athleticism to throw four-seam fastballs that sit in the low 90s and top out at 96 mph. Houston has deemphasized an 89-93 mph two-seamer and a slider he used in high school, having him use mainly four-seamers and focus on a curveball. The Astros liked how he made the adjustments and had to stay on his catchers to have him throw more curves. Foltynewicz still is learning to throw the curve with power and confidence, but it has plus potential. He has solid feel for an average changeup. He needs to refine his control and command, because he doesn't throw enough strikes or miss enough bats. After adding pitching depth via trades, Houston won't have to rush Foltynewicz. He'll return to Lexington to open 2012 and should get tested by Lancaster's gusting winds and rock-hard infield later in the season. If everything comes together, he can be a No. 3 starter.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #4 prospect in 2011
  Foltynewicz gave up a three-run homer in the afternoon on draft day last June, but got a lift that evening when the Astros made him the first Illinois high school pitcher drafted in the first round since Kris Honel in 2001. They bought him out of a Texas scholarship with a $1.305 million bonus, the second-largest Houston ever has given to a pitcher. While Jordan Lyles is a better overall prospect, Foltynewicz has the best raw arm in the system and flashes three plus pitches. His fastball hit 96 in the spring and sat at 93-96 mph in instructional league, though it dipped into the upper 80s at times during his debut. He has good life on his fastball and pitches aggressively with it. His changeup was his best pitch in his debut, featuring heavy late sink and good arm speed, and it comes out looking like his fastball. Houston tightened up his slurvy breaking ball in instructional league, and if the changes take he'll have a true curveball in the upper 70s. His delivery is fairly clean and his arm works well. Ticketed for low Class A in 2011, Foltynewicz has a high ceiling and just needs innings to improve his feel and command. If he maintains his top-end velocity and improved breaking ball, he could be a future front-of-the-rotation starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #12 prospect in 2014
  Foltynewicz has some of the best pure velocity in the minors--he touched 100 mph this season and sits 95-97--and top-of-the-charts stuff, according to one scout. Evaluators have gone as high as 80 when grading his fastball on the 20-80 scouting scale The problems for Foltynewicz are two-fold: He doesn't repeat his delivery, and his fastball, despite having armside run and sink, flattens out when elevated. His 12-6 curveball flashes solid-average as does his changeup, which has improved this year as he maintains his arm speed more often. One scout said Foltynewicz sat at 96-100 for six innings with a wipeout curveball. "He might be a Garrett Richards type when he figures it out," the scout said. "He comes out of his delivery a lot, but it takes time for hard-throwers to mature and trust their stuff. He could be a frontline, top-of-the-rotation guy, but it might not be next season or the season after."
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  Ranked Texas League #2 prospect in 2013
  The 19th overall selection in the 2010 draft raised expectations last year with a 14-win, 125-strikeout season in the low Class A South Atlantic League and needed just seven appearances this year in high Class A ball to reach the Texas League. He impressed there, too, working mostly in a starter?s role. He locked horns with Padres prospect Matt Wisler in Corpus Christi?s playoff opener, allowing only one run on five hits in seven innings. Step in and take your chances. Foltynewicz brings the heat with a triple-digits fastball that topped out near 103 mph. Of course, the righthander can command it far better when he dials it down a notch, which still pushes the speed limits at 97-98. He showed four pitches, with his secondary offerings consisting of a curveball, changeup and slider. He showed feel for a sinking change-of-pace, and it could be a weapon, as his downer curve tops out in the high 70s and his slider also has made progress. Managers this year shook their heads at the mere mention of Foltynewicz, who built upon last season and further showed why the Astros originally signed him for $1.305 million.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #11 prospect in 2012
  A classic raw Midwestern high school pitcher, Foltynewicz had spent all of 2011 at Lexington, and showed he wasn't ready to thrive in full-season ball. The Astros kept him with the Legends for a second full season, and he led the SAL with 14 victories while being named the league's pitcher of the year. Foltynewicz showed more maturity and confidence in his second year in Lexington. He did a better job of maintaining the velocity on his 93-98 mph fastball and working both sides of the plate. He also made strides with his curveball and changeup, which remain inconsistent but show promise. His change is ahead of his curveball. "He made a lot of progress this season compared to last year," Hickory manager Bill Richardson said. "Sometimes wins and losses don't mean a whole lot, especially at this level, but he earned his numbers. You could see him really refine his ability to pitch."
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  Ranked American League #7 prospect in 2010
  Taken by the Astros 11 picks after DeShields, Foltynewicz signed quickly and got 12 pro starts under his belt. The results were uneven, but he rebounded from an eight-run shellacking by Princeton to post an 0.48 ERA over his final four starts. Foltynewicz ranked as the top pitching prospect in the Upper Midwest this year, thanks to a 90-94 mph fastball and projectable 6-foot-4 frame. Appy managers provided generally positive reviews, despite the teenager's fluctuating radar-gun readings and sometimes nonexistent breaking ball. Much like Lyles did two years ago, he threw strikes and showed uncanny confidence in his changeup for a prep righthander. Foltynewicz disguises his changeup, which features heavy, late sink, with good arm speed. At his best, he snaps 75-78 mph curveballs from his fastball arm slot with tight, rotational bite--but feel for the breaking ball often evaded Foltynewicz in his debut. "We saw him at 93 mph, and he's only going to get stronger," Bristol manager Ryan Newman said. "The secondary stuff didn't stand out, but you can see he's going to be real good once he learns how to pitch."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #59 prospect in 2014

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Foltynewicz signed for $1,305,000 as the 19th overall pick in 2010. After a rough introduction to full-season ball in 2011, he benefited as much as any Astros farmhand from increased depth in the organization. He repeated low Class A in 2012 and was named the South Atlantic League's pitcher of the year, tying for the league lead in wins (14) while ranking fourth in ERA (3.14). Scouting Report: More mature physically and in terms of his preparation, Foltynewicz learned to pitch off his fastball in 2012. He now relies more on a four-seamer that ranges from 93-99 mph, a pitch he pairs with his curveball to work up and down in the strike zone. His curve shows signs of becoming a plus pitch with good shape and bite, though it gets slow and loopy at times. Scouts see the ability to spin a breaking ball, however. Foltynewicz's changeup remains ahead of his curve, earning average to plus grades from scouts. He has an ideal frame with athleticism, and the Astros believe he should develop into an innings-eater. He's still a bit raw when it comes to defense and holding runners. The Future: Improving his fastball command and the consistency of his secondary pitches are Foltynewicz's goals for 2013, when he'll either have to survive high Class A Lancaster or skip a level to Double-A. He has the upside of a No. 2 starter.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Astros signed the top high school pitcher out of Illinois in back-to-back drafts in Tanner Bushue (second round, 2009) and Foltynewicz (19th overall, 2010). Recipient of a $1.305 million bonus, he lost his first nine decisions as a pro, including six of his first seven starts in 2011. Scouting Report: Foltynewicz is the best homegrown arm in the system. He combines a good pitcher's frame and athleticism to throw four-seam fastballs that sit in the low 90s and top out at 96 mph. Houston has de-emphasized an 89-93 mph two-seamer and a slider he used in high school, having him use mainly four-seamers and focus on a curveball. The Astros liked how he made the adjustments and had to stay on his catchers to have him throw more curves. Foltynewicz still is learning to throw the curve with power and confidence, but it has plus potential. He has solid feel for an average changeup that flashes plus. He needs to refine his control and command, because he doesn't throw enough quality strikes. The Future: After adding pitching depth via trades, Houston won't have to rush Foltynewicz. He'll return to Lexington to open 2012 and should get tested by Lancaster's gusting winds and rock-hard infield later in the season. If everything comes together, he can be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.