Drafted in the 7th round (224th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2006 (signed for $85,000).
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A classic late bloomer, Norton didn't even start playing baseball until eighth grade and garnered little attention out of high school, so he spent a year honing his game at Suffield (Conn.) Academy, a prep school. Norton joined the Huskies as a walk-on and was finally rewarded with a full scholarship after emerging in the second half of his junior season in 2005, though he still was not drafted. He went 5-1, 1.77 for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League last summer and continued to improve his stock in early April with a one-hitter against Villanova's Kevin Mulvey, with plenty of scouts on hand. Norton's background means he is old even for a college senior and his mechanics are unorthodox, but his arm is strong and relatively fresh. He relies upon a heavy, sinking 92-94 mph fastball that touches 96, and he complements it with an average split-finger that he uses as a swing-and-miss pitch. He struggles to locate his below-average slider, which has spin but lacks movement. Norton tends to dip on his back leg during his high-effort delivery, and he is not particularly athletic--one scout said he saw Norton fall off the mound onto his behind three separate times. But he is aggressive and competitive and figures to be a budget-saving senior pick in the top five rounds for some team.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Norton put up better numbers than George Kontos at Staten Island last summer, but Kontos rates as a slightly better prospect because he has more arm strength and is two years younger. A seventh-rounder who signed for $85,000, Norton operates at 90-93 mph with his four-seam fastball. He had a funky delivery when he first arrived in pro ball, but after a month, the Yankees were able to take some of the effort out of it. He threw consistent strikes with his fastball and didn't issue a walk in four of his final eight starts. He also gained better control his two-seamer, which he'll need to use more as he moves up. Norton's biggest problem is his lack of a breaking ball. His arm slot lends itself to a slider, and his isn't very good right now. He throws a nice changeup and a splitter, pitches that help him against lefthanders. The total package makes Norton most likely to make an impact as a reliever, but the Yankees hope he can gain experience and develop a better breaking ball in a starting role in 2007, likely in low Class A.
Minor League Top Prospects
Norton and George Kontos formed a 1-2 punch at the front of the Staten Island rotation and led the Yankees to the league championship. There was split opinion as to which pitcher is the better prospect. Norton is two years older, but he had better fastball velocity (sitting at 92-93 mph as a starter and touching 95) while also showing a solid-average splitter that was a true strikeout pitch at times. Norton's fastball-split combination helps him profile well as a reliever, and he could add more velocity and move quickly in that role. His big frame and long levers produce plenty of power but also make his delivery difficult to maintain. His slider was inconsistent, though he showed the ability to spin a breaking ball.
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