Drafted in the 11th round (319th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2004.
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RHP/1B Kevin Hart played for two seasons at Navarro (Texas) JC before heading to Maryland for his junior season. A two-way star at Navarro, he batted .448-11-42 and went 9-2, 2.54 on the mound with 81 strikeouts in 72 innings while issuing just 12 walks. He wasn't as successful this year, going just 3-8, 5.16, but he struck out 75 in 68 innings. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has a prototype pitcher's body and durable arm. He has a four-pitch mix that includes a fastball, curveball, split-finger and changeup and throws in the 87-91 mph range. Hart has solid mechanics but average arm speed. Some scouts thought his pitching suffered because he was playing all week. His brother Joe plays for Texas A&M.
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Hart floundered in the Orioles system before joining the Cubs in a December 2006 trade for Freddie Bynum. Once Double-A Tennessee pitching coach Dennis Lewellyn taught Hart a cut fastball, he shot to the majors and finished 2007 on Chicago's playoff roster. He wasn't as effective in the big leagues last season. Though the Cubs used Hart in a variety of roles in Triple-A, he's just plain nasty as a reliever. Coming out of the bullpen, he can blow hitters away with 94-96 mph fastballs and chew up their bats with cutters. He's tough to hit when he has his confidence and goes after batters. His arm is resilient, allowing him to pitch multiple innings at a time or on consecutive days. When major leaguers got the better of Hart last April, he started nibbling instead of challenging them. His control deteriorated, as did manager Lou Piniella's trust in him. Hart's curveball and changeup can throw hitters off balance but grade as fringe average. The Cubs have determined that Hart's future is as a reliever. He can make the big league bullpen with a good spring, and doing so would make it easier for Chicago to develop Jeff Samardzija as a starter. The Padres asked for Hart during the Jake Peavy trade talks in December.
The biggest surprise in the system last season, Hart hadn't pitched above high Class A when the Cubs acquired him for Freddie Bynum in December 2006. But he responded to Tennessee pitching coach Dennis Lewallyn and finished the year on the playoff roster. Lewallyn taught Hart a cut fastball that made all the difference in the world. Once he mastered it, he allowed just 13 earned runs over his final nine Double-A starts and pitched better as he moved up the ladder. He also improved his fastball, which sat at 91-92 mph in the minors and 93-94 mph when he relieved in the majors, as well as his changeup. He has a durable frame and throws strikes. A quality cutter should allow a righthander to hold lefty hitters at bay, but they batted .316/.383/.453 against Hart in the minors. He has a curveball, but it's nothing more than a show-me pitch. Hart thrived as a big league reliever in September, but the Cubs haven't given up on him as a starter. He could open the season in their rotation if he pitches well in spring training.
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