Cole Nelson
| IP | 157 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.185 |
| WHIP | 1.561 |
| BB/9 | 4.586 |
| SO/9 | 8.197 |
- Full name Cole Hunter Nelson
- Born 07/14/1989 in Edina, MN
- Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Auburn
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Drafted in the 10th round (313th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2010 (signed for $90,000).
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Nelson is a 6-foot-7, 240-pounder who can get out of sync quickly and whose stuff falls off when he's in the stretch. His fastball tops out at 92 mph from the windup, and he has feel for his slider as well.
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Nelson went from a Minnesota high school to Des Moines Area CC, where he turned down the Rays as a 45th-round pick in 2009, to Auburn. He had an inconsistent junior season at Auburn, going 6-3, 5.64 as a starter, but shaved nearly five runs off his ERA in his pro debut after signing for $90,000 as a 10th-round pick. Detroit lengthened Nelson's stride and raised his arm slot, boosting his fastball from 89-92 mph to 94-95. His heater has some sink and tailing action, and it gets on hitters quick because his size allows him to release the ball closer to the plate than most pitchers. His breaking ball is a slurve that breaks down more than laterally. He also mixes in a low-80s changeup, but it's a below-average pitch that he needs to use more to gain feel for it. Nelson has an extra-large frame but below-average athleticism, and his stiffness makes it more difficult for him to repeat his delivery and throw strikes. He finished his first pro summer by allowing one hit in two starts in high Class A, and he may return to Lakeland to begin 2011. He'll have to improve his secondary pitches to make it as a starter, but his newfound velocity alone could be nearly enough for him to have a big league career as a lefthanded reliever.
