Noe Ramirez

Ramirez was lightly recruited and undrafted out of Alhambra (Calif.) High in 2008, but he developed into a top-two-rounds candidate during three stellar seasons at Cal State Fullerton. Ramirez is 29-5 in his Fullerton career, and his 1.76 ERA this spring is the best of his career. He was slowed by elbow tenderness earlier this spring, and he missed two weeks with a sprained ankle later in the season, but he returned strong. Lean and wiry at 6-foot-3, 180 pounds, Ramirez has gotten stronger since high school, increasing his fastball velocity from the 86-88 mph range to the 88-91 range now, peaking at 92-93 early in games. He generally commands his fastball well, but his bread-and-butter is his offspeed stuff. Ramirez credits former Fullerton great Ricky Romero with teaching him his changeup grip, and he throws his 83-84 mph change with the same arm speed as his fastball, and it has splitter-like action and deception, rating as a plus to plus-plus pitch. His slider still gets sweepy at times, but it has improved as is now an average offering. Ramirez is a fearless competitor with outstanding feel for pitching and one of the best track records in the draft. He has the stuff and makeup to become a mid- to late-rotation starter in the big leagues.