Baseball Beginnings

By John Klima
March 12, 2010

Vanderbilt right-handed starter Taylor Hill will have organizational value following the 2010 draft based on a recent four-inning look.

Hill is listed at 6-3, 200 and comes with a durable starting pitcher’s frame. With a big body, long legs, high hips and a thick trunk, Hill should have more power than he does now. That’s the factor that might help make Hill a better pro than a college pitcher. He has a barrel chest and broad shoulders and average arm speed, but with the proper combination of conditioning and instruction, he could be a better pro than the draft round he will likely fall in. In other words, he’s a tweener, but there might be more to work with than meets the eye. Hill’s fastball velocity was 89-91 and sat 90 in three innings. His slider was 83-84 and his change-up was 79-81. His two-seam fastball has sink and movement and he will be a serviceable pro if he can consistently use this pitch low in the strike zone. He won’t blow anyone away despite a frame that indicates there should be more power, but an improved change-up should help level that playing field. Right now I would conclude Hill has a touch more power than he is presently showing, but that alone will not make for enough power. His control and command on all pitches is serviceable enough to where Hill could be a decent guy if he can find a touch more power and a signature secondary pitch. Conclusion: This is a good draft pick to send to a good pro pitching coach. 

Grades: Fastball: 5/5, Slider 3/5, Change 3/5, Control 3/5, Command 3/5. OFP: 50

Categories: '10 Scouting Reports
Tags: Taylor Hill, Vanderbilt