Duane Below

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #21 prospect in 2012
  A native of Britton, Mich., about an hour southwest of Comerica Park, Below climbed from the 19th round in 2006 to the majors last July. Signed for $15,000, he was the organization's 2007 minor league pitcher of the year after leading the Midwest League with 13 wins and 160 strikeouts. He succumbed to Tommy John surgery in June 2009 but zoomed was back on the mound at the start of the 2010 season. Some club officials believe his elbow reconstruction and rehab helped Below rededicate himself to his craft. While many pitchers struggle with their command following Tommy John surgery, he came back throwing more strikes than ever. Below's stuff is average at best, but he throws strikes and has good feel for pitching. He throws an 88- 93 mph fastball, a high-70s curveball that's average at times and a slider that can get slurvy. His best pitch is a changeup with sink. After spending most of his career as a starter, Below transitioned to the bullpen after making two big league starts. He fits best as a No. 5 starter or swingman.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #15 prospect in 2011
  Below missed most of 2009 after having Tommy John surgery, but he's been very effective when healthy. He was the Tigers' minor league pitcher of the year and led the Midwest League with 160 strikeouts in 2007. A year later, he topped the Florida State League with 126 whiffs. Below made a quick recovery from elbow reconstruction and paced the Double-A Eastern League with 28 starts in 2010. Detroit was cautious with him, generally limiting him to 85 pitches per start. Though Below has an effortless delivery and looks like he's just playing catch, his fastball sits at 90-94 mph. He can vary the speed on his curveball, which can be a swing-and-miss pitch at times. He also mixes in a slurvy slider and a changeup with some sink. Command is often the last thing to come back following Tommy John surgery, but Below actually located his pitches better last year than he did before he got hurt. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he could fit into the back of the Tigers' rotation as early as the second half of 2011.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #26 prospect in 2008
  Much like Jeff Gerbe and since-traded Burke Badenhop--two fellow pitchers from the Midwest--Below has moved quickly to prospect status. The Tigers named him their minor league pitcher of the year in 2007, after he led the Midwest League with 13 wins and 160 strikeouts. Below's fastball averages 89-90 mph and tops out in the low 90s with armside run. It seems to jump on hitters and force late swings. When he's on, righthanders foul high fastballs toward the first-base side. His arching curveball is a swing-and-miss pitch that he throws at two different speeds. His changeup remains a work in progress. A mechanically sound pitcher, Below has shown the durability to take a regular turn in the rotation and last deep into games. He works quickly and controls the running game, thanks to a good pickoff move and athleticism on the mound. Even though he didn't turn 22 until after the season, he seemed comfortable in his role as a staff ace. He showed great makeup, stamina, and work ethic, and the result was a 2.31 ERA in the second half. Below projects as a back-end starter and should begin this season in high Class A.