Prospect Watch: Mariners Top 10 Prospects -Prospect #9
Yesterday, we talked about a Jackson Generals pitcher who could make his Mariners debut in 2017. Today, we talk about the exact same thing… kind of. Enter the #9 player on our countdown, right-handed pitcher Andrew Moore.
9. Andrew Moore
Moore was the Friday night starter for 3 seasons at Oregon State University before becoming a Competitive Balance pick after round 2 in 2015. He was always considered a “fast riser”, but he has the chance to make his MLB debut in 2017.
Moore does not have any 1 standout pitch but he has excellent command over his entire arsenal. His fastball sits at just 90 MPH, but it plays up thanks to his control.
Moore can pitch to all 4 quadrants of the zone and had a 4:1 K/BB ratio.
His best pitch is his above-average changeup, which he can throw in any count for a strike. He has a curve and a slider, but both are mediocre at best. His slider needs more work than his curve, though.
Moore is not physically demanding, standing just 6 feet tall and tipping the scales at 180 lbs.
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How can such a middle of the ground sounding player command such a high spot on our ranks? Well, simply put: Andrew Moore is going to outwork you. He has improved every season since joining the OSU Beavers and works extremely hard at his craft.
In games, he will use his high baseball IQ and fierce, bulldog mentality, to beat you. To put it layman’s terms: Andrew Moore knows how to get you out. The numbers certainly support it.
In 2016 across 2 levels, Moore threw 163 innings, with a 2.65 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. He struck out 133 hitters, giving him a respectable 7.2 K/9 and walked just 31.
Jerry Dipoto has been impressed by him, mentioning him on several occasions as a potential back-end starter in 2017. Some have opined that he could be of help to the bullpen in 2017 as well.
While both Yarbrough and Moore have relatively high floors but low ceilings as MLB pitchers, our #8 prospect has one of the highest ceilings in the system…
Grades(20-80)- Fastball: 50 Changeup: 60 Curveball: 45 Slider:40 Control: 65 Overall:50
ETA:2017 Role: #4 or #5 Starter
