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Scouting Report
Chris Sale – P
Florida Gulf Coast University, Jr.
- Birthdate: 3/30/1989
- Height: 6’5″
- Weight: 175 lbs.
- Bats: Left
- Throws: Left
- Scout’s report filed: 3/19/10
Fastball: Sale throws his fastball up to 94, sitting comfortably at 90-92 mph.
Fastball movement: It’s got lots of sink, generating a ton of ground balls.
Curve: It’s got a sweepy slurve break, a potential wipeout pitch to left-handed hitters. It has some lateness to it.
Changeup: It’s a good pitch with a chance to be a plus offering. He uses it typically against right-handed hitters, and there’s some action and life to it.
Control: Sale is a strike-thrower who doesn’t hurt himself with walks.
Poise: It’s a plus, all business on the mound, with nothing rattling him. He’s got perhaps the best mound presence in the class.
Physical Description: Sale has a skinny, gangly, Andrew Miller-type body.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Three above-average to plus pitches, outstanding mound presence and excellent command.
Weaknesses: His slot, low 3/4, isn’t typical for a starter. His frame will lead some to be concerned about durability.
Summary: Sometimes good things come out of smaller schools. Sale took a strong Cape Cod League performance and carried it over into his junior season. With the chance to have three outstanding pitches, all of which he can throw for strikes, to go along with outstanding mound presence, Sale has developed into one of the better lefties in the Draft class. Teams will have to look past a less than prototypical arm slot for a starting pitcher, but with the way he’s pitched, it seems likely a team will do that at some point in the first round.
