Ricky Karcher

Karcher threw just four innings in his freshman year at Michigan because of his bottom-of-the-scale control. But a mechanical tweak he made while pitching in the Prospect League last summer paid off after he transferred to Walters State (Tenn.) JC. Karcher learned to pause on his back leg before firing off the rubber. That pause allows his arm enough time to catch up to his lower half and to be on time. With a 92-94 mph fastball, a biting 80-82 mph slider and flashes of a changeup, he has plenty of potential, although he still has a long way to go as far as developing consistency. Karcher was 7-3, 4.29 for Walters State this year, striking out 66 and walking 34 in 59 innings.