Matt Koch

A swingman in his first two seasons at Louisville, Koch may have found his true calling in the Cape Cod League last summer. Used solely in relief by Chatham, he finished the summer with 15 1/3 straight scoreless innings, including an appearance in the Cape all-star game. The Cardinals have kept him in that role this season, which he opened by showing at 96-97 mph for one inning at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in Florida. He has pitched at 92-96 mph this spring, though scouts have had a difficult time seeing him because he shares closing duties with Derek Self. Koch has been inconsistent with his secondary pitches, the main reason that opponents have hit a surprising .319 against him this year. He'll flash a plus changeup and a low-80s slider with depth, and some scouts think it's still worth trying to develop him as a starter. Koch is built for durability at 6-foot-3 and 204 pounds, leading to more credence for that belief. There's mixed opinion as to whether he's better than former Louisville closer Tony Zych, who signed for $400,000 as a Cubs fourth-round pick last year. Zych throws harder but Koch has a better body, a superior pitch and less effort in his delivery.