Marcus Hatley

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #29 prospect in 2013
  The Cubs selected Hatley as an outfielder in the 39th round in 2006, and he made just two relief appearances as a Palomar freshman, but Chicago saw enough to sign him as a pitcher for $40,000. He didn't reach full-season ball until 2009, when he blew out his elbow and required Tommy John surgery. On the right night, Hatley uses his size and good delivery to fire 93-96 mph fastballs on a steep downhill plane. His mid-80s slider and upper-80s splitter flash plus ability, though his slider lacks consistent break. Hatley's control and command are scattershot and he lacks deception, so he gets knocked around more than someone with his stuff should. He failed his first shot at Triple-A. Hatley has both a high ceiling and a low floor, and Chicago will try to polish him up some more in 2013.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #26 prospect in 2012
  The Cubs drafted Hatley as an outfielder out of a California high school in 2006, and that's where he played at Palomar (Calif.) JC the following spring, making just two relief appearances. Yet Chicago signed him as a pitcher for $40,000 as a draft-and-follow. Raw on the mound, Hatley didn't reach fullseason ball until 2009, when he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. He bounced back and reached Double-A last season. Hatley looks the part of a late-inning reliever. He's big and throws hard, working from 92-97 mph. He can get swings and misses up in the zone with his fastball and down in the zone with his hammer curveball. He also throws a cutter/slider that can be a solid pitch. Hatley's control and command never were his strong suits and aren't all the way back yet. The Cubs opted not to protect him on their 40-man roster, but he could pitch his way into their plans by the end of 2012 and eventually could become a set-up man.