2009 Scouting Report: RHP Tyler Blandford
By John Klima
September 4, 2009
Tyler Blandford, RHP
Games Seen: 1, Innings: 3 (July, 2009 at UC Santa Barbara)
Club: Santa Barbara Foresters (California Collegiate League)
6-3, 190
Baseball Beginnings
Scouting professional prospects and identifying future major leaguers
2009 Scouting Video: RHP Tyler Blandford (5th rd., Seattle)
By John Klima
September 2, 2009
“Tyler Blanford is a physical kid with a power fastball and power breaking ball potential,” Mariners scouting director Tom McNamara told Baseball Beginnings.
Here’s a look at a guy who could be in Seattle within two years. This film was shot in Blanford’s first 2009 summer outing, which makes this a game-time bullpen session. In three innings, Blanford hit 96 in the first inning and pitched at 94. In the second inning, he pitched at 93. In his third inning, he pitched at 92. His slider worked at 83 with hard, late bite and his fastball has late action up in the zone. Blanford said he was throwing from a side arm slot in an experimental mode, so it will be interesting to track his process as a pro to see what slot he uses and what role he settles in it. One thing you can’t hide is the power. As the saying goes, the tools never lie.
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Stillwater to Seattle: Q&A with RHP Tyler Blandford
By John Klima
September 1, 2009
Tyler Blandford went down to the wire. Drafted in the 5th round by the Seattle Mariners out of Oklahoma State, Blandford suspected he might be going back to school, until negotiations took shape at the last minute.
“Everything ended up working out, but it was a pretty crazy story,” Blanford told Baseball Beginnings. “I declined the last offer with like a minute left but told my agent that I wanted the scouting director to call me when it was all over with. (Tom McNamara) called me at the last minute and I ended up talking to the GM (Jack Zduriencik) and reaching an agreement with him. So now I’m working out (in Peoria, Ariz.) and will head to Instructs as a starting pitcher.”
Blandford bounced between the bullpen and the starting rotation for Oklahoma State, a necessity because of a schedule that often included two mid-week games. He believes that the lack of continuity probably hurt his overall command and contributed in some measure to sliding in the draft. After agreeing to terms with the Mariners for $325,000, well above the approximately $150,000 slot price, conjecture began about his future role.
The quickest route to the big leagues for any power arm is the bullpen, but it must be balanced against his starting potential. Blandford said he did not make signing with the Mariners contingent on beginning his career as a starting pitcher, but he said he was very happy to learn that the Mariners will try him as a starter first. But in his mind, Blandford knows that he may yet end up as a closer.
“I think maybe in the long run I might be a back end of the pen guy, but starting will give me more innings right now so I can get better, sooner,” he told Baseball Beginnings. (more…)
