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Pending Pinstripes
#11 Daniel McCutchen
- Age: 25
- Height: 6′1″
- Weight: 195 lbs
- Position: Starting Pitcher
- Throws: Right
Scouting Report: Daniel McCutchen throws a solid if unspectacular 92 mph fastball. He backs it up with a solid curveball and splitter combination. His control has improved considerably since moving to the starting rotation in college. Previously an above-average control guy, he’s now managed to compile a BB/9 of 2.04 in 172 minor league innings. Basically, he’s got above average stuff and emerging plus control. The pick knock against him is a lack of a true out pitch - neither his curveball or splitter are true strikeout weapons.
History: McCutchen got a late start to his baseball career. He started college ball in 2002 with division II Central Oklahoma. He transfered to the University of Oklahoma, but was forced to sit out in 2003. He spent 2004 and 2005 in the bullpen, and in 2006 he was finally given a chance as a starting pitcher. As a result, his 4th-5th round stuff went mostly unnoticed on draft day, and the Yankees grabbed him in the 13th round. He pitched very well after signing, throwing 29 innings between Staten Island and Charleston, allowing just 6 earned runs on 29 strikeouts and 6 walks. However, he was suspended for 50 games following a violation of baseball’s drug policy. McCutchen tested positive for a prescription amphetamine. The suspension continued into 2007.
This Season: McCutchen missed the first three weeks of the season serving the tail send of his suspension. He hit the ground running in Tampa - pitching 101 innings with a 2.50 ERA, 1.87 BB/9, 5.97 K/9, and 0.62 HR/9. He handled right handed hitters and left handed hitters equally well. Despite the low strikeout rate, the Yankees promoted him to Trenton, where he continued to flourish. In 41 innings, he posted an ERA of 2.41, with 2.63 BB/9, 7.90 K/9, and 0.44 HR/9. Edit - Reader Connor just noted that McCutchen’s strikeout rate was depressed because he was working on a changeup in Tampa and not using his curve.
Outlook and Movement: You could make a case that McCutchen deserves to start the year with Scranton, but the crowded Yankee rotation there will keep him at Double-A to start the year. If I were designing the Yankee depth chart, he’d probably be #5 on the call up priority list (behind Horne, Igawa, Marquez, and White), even at Double-A. If his past performance is any indicator, McCutchen should be knocking at the big league door very quickly. He’ll be in spring training this year. There is some speculation that due to the Yankee rotation depth, McCutchen could be converted to the bullpen.
Ranking: Rightfully skeptical before this season, Eric and I have both bought in to what McCutchen is selling. I have at #12 while Eric has him at #14. Ashish however did not rank him at all. Despite the rumors, I think that McCutchen can and will remain in the rotation. His only concern right now should be a relatively low strikeout rate, although he alleviated a lot of those concerns in Trenton this year. The man has done nothing but eat innings and not allow runs since his super-senior year in college. He doesn’t have the traditional curses that force a pitcher to be converted to the bullpen - poor control, poor endurance, or hitters figuring him out after the 2nd time through the order. The Yankees have previously shown reluctance to convert a successful starting pitcher to the bullpen regardless of supply with Chase Wright and Steve White, although McCutchen is on another level from them. Of the “lesser three” (McCutchen, Marquez, and Horne) Yankee high-level group of young pitchers, he probably has the fewest questions surrounding him. I have a feeling that I’ve underrated him considerably by placing him at #12, and would probably have him higher than Marquez if he were 22 instead of 25.
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21 Responses to “#11 Daniel McCutchen”
February 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
I should note that McCutchen could very easily have seasons resembling Dan Haren’s 2006 year on a regular basis. Am I calling him a poor man’s Dan Haren? Not really, but its not the worst comparison in the world.
February 6th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
The drug he tested positive for was adderal, used for folks with ADD. He either did not have a prescription for it at the time or one that was expired.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
note- McCutchen was not throwing his curveball in Tampa, he was working on developing his change up the entire time there which makes his numbers seem even more impressive since he wasn’t throwing his best secondary pitch, the curveball.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Good to know Connor.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:18 am
EJ,
I was following what u were saying until you said
“Despite the rumors, I think that McCutchen can and will remain in the bullpen.”
Did you mean remain in the rotation?
February 7th, 2008 at 12:29 am
Yeah, I kind of look forward to the days where I have an editor
February 7th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Adderal is prescribed as an ADD drug to children. In adults however, it works as a powerful stimulant. From all I’ve heard, adult use of Adderal is almost always abuse.
February 7th, 2008 at 10:22 am
So what happened with the change up experiment? Was it scrapped or is it serviceable?
February 7th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I can’t provide you any inductive evidence Tripp since he started the year in Tampa, but knowing the Yankees, they wouldn’t have promoted him until he showed progress. We’ll see him in spring training / at Trenton early this season and be able to tell.
February 7th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Adderal definatly has room for abuse, and I’ve read and heard that some athletes take it, but it IS NOT the kind of stimulant you want, your better off drinking a 6 pack of red bull.
That said, when I was in college, the only kids I knew who took it were the academic honor roll kids, all of whom swore it helped them study more and better (kind of like a PED for the brain).
They had the grades, and did have high GPA’s….personally, I was more of a Jack Daniels kind of guy.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
According to Minor League Analyst’s Deric McKamey McCutchen Changeup scores 2 out of 4 meaning it is a servicable Major league pitch, but nothing special.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
“Adderal is prescribed as an ADD drug to children. In adults however, it works as a powerful stimulant. From all I’ve heard, adult use of Adderal is almost always abuse.”
This just isn’t the case. You might argue (and you’d be right) that ADD is massively overdiagnosed and overtreated, and that a lot of legal usage constitutes abuse in some sense. You could also point out (and no one on earth could disagree with you) that there is a lot of illegal consumption of Adderal, Ritalin, Dex, and the rest.
But it’s simply not true that these drugs are only (or almost only) prescribed to kids for ADD. Both legal and illegal use of these drugs are somewhat higher amongs kids; kids generally have a harder time staying focused (obviously) and going to school and writing papers are activities where ADD is especially harmful and upper-abuse is especially helpful. But many adults still have trouble with ADD and are prescribed those same drugs.
Furthermore, it’s not as if it works one way in adults and another way in children. 13 year-olds merrily abuse it because it’s a powerful stimulant, and adults take their prescriptions because it helps with their ADD. It’s not either/or.
February 7th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Whoah, that came out longer than expected. Sorry for the rant. I find PED stories extremely boring. But I am surprised at the weird mythology that exists around some of these drugs. But, really, back to baseball!
February 7th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Thanks, E.J. Good profile. It sounds like he could be a Karstens type or a Trachsel type (at best). Very low k/9 for a guy 25 years old, experimenting w/ change or no. 92mph fastball - is that living at 92 or 88-92?
February 7th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
From what I’ve heard, its consistently at 91-93. Similar to what we saw from Hughes in September.
February 7th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
“He hit the ground running in Trenton - pitching 101 innings”
I think you mean Tampa (the next sentence then says he was promoted to Trenton)
February 7th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
What would I do without my proofreaders?
You know, its funny: we talk all the time behind the scenes at MVN about “How to improve your blog’s readership.” The answers are always, “Interesting headlines and Professional Proofreading.” Course, my poorly-edited, inconsistent, clumsily-headlined blog is the 2nd most read baseball blog on the network
February 7th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Thats cause ur the man
February 8th, 2008 at 12:43 am
And ’cause I correct some of your grammar mistakes ;).
February 8th, 2008 at 9:48 am
That too
May 15th, 2008 at 11:25 am
[…] I haven’t written much on Daniel McCutchen (click here for a great scouting report by Pending Pinstripes), another solid (yet slightly older) pitching […]
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