- Full name Dave Coggin
- Born 10/30/1976 in Covina, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- Debut 06/23/2000
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Since ranking as the organization's No. 2 prospect entering 1996, Coggin's career has rarely looked like that of a high-profile first-rounder. Drafted as a power pitcher, he had a scholarship to play quarterback at Clemson before the Phillies convinced him to turn pro. He never has lived up to expectations and all but disappeared from prospect consideration when shoulder injuries limited him to just 42 innings in 1999. He worked hard to regain his velocity by building lower-body strength, and found himself filling Robert Person's shoes in the Phillies rotation briefly last summer. Coggin's four-pitch arsenal isn't overpowering, but he mixes a solid array of breaking pitches along with a 91-93 mph fastball to keep hitters off balance. Controlling his stuff, specifically his fastball, has been an issue that has plagued Coggin as a pro. His 169-141 strikeout-walk ratio over the past three seasons underscores his difficulties. Now that he has his confidence and stamina back, and he has had a taste of the majors, he'll try to establish himself as a legitimate callup candidate in Triple-A this year. -
Background: Coggin was a highly acclaimed high school quarterback who would've played two sports at Clemson University had he not signed with the Phillies. After making steady progress in his first three minor league seasons, he took a step backward last year, by his own admission. Strengths: Coggin has the best pure stuff of all the Phillies upper-level pitchers. His fastball is in the 91-94 mph range, he has an above-average changeup and curveball at times and he has learned to cut his fastball effectively. Weaknesses: When he struggled at the start of last season, Coggin may have become his own worst enemy. He became mentally and emotionally tough on himself when he wasn't able to throw strikes consistently and lost his focus. The Future: Many of the Phillies internal changes were in response to the problems their top young prospects experienced in 1998. Coggin still has the ability to become a premium starting pitcher and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him jump forward this season.
Minor League Top Prospects
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It didn't surprise Wedge that Coggin didn't blink when the Phillies threw him right in the middle of a pennant race. Coggin went 5-7, 4.40 in his first 16 starts for Philadelphia this season. "He's got a lot of composure," Wedge said. "He doesn't get caught up in the situation." Scranton pitching coach Gregson said at the start of 2001, Coggin had better command of his slider than his fastball. Once he started to harness his low-90s fastball, it wasn't long before he was promoted to Philadelphia. Coggin also throws a curveball and changeup. "He's a fierce competitor, a really mentally tough kid," Gregson said. "It speaks to his character that he could do what he did right in the middle of a pennant race."
