Drafted in the 4th round (129th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009 (signed for $75,000).
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Ole Miss also has passed the Bulldogs in terms of pro talent, such as Scott Bittle. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder was a first-team All-American a year ago and when he's healthy, he has one of the best pitches in the draft. He attacks hitters with a ferocious cutter in the 84-86 mph range, and should saw of plenty of bats in pro ball with the pitch. It has amazing depth for a cut fastball as well. His fastball can reach 92 mph in shorter stints, though he pitches in the upper 80s with sink as a starter. His changeup also has become an average pitch. Bittle's medical history makes it impossible to know where he'll be drafted. He redshirted in 2006 at Northeast Texas CC because of rotator cuff tendinitis, so his shoulder has been an issue--either keeping him off the mound or keeping him from signing in the draft--three times in the last five years.
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Every bit of scouting the Cardinals did on Bittle screamed "quick-moving college reliever" with a true out pitch, and then they got his medical records. Intelligence gathered about his problematic shoulder before the draft was a red flag and a team physical reinforced those concerns. The Yankees drafted Bittle in the second round in 2008 but didn't sign him because of worries about the wear and tear on his shoulder, and he missed the last six weeks of his senior season with a strain in his shoulder capsule. He also sat out the 2006 season at Northeast Texas CC with rotator-cuff tendinitis. After signing for $75,000 as a fourth-round pick, Bittle reported for rehab at the Cardinals' facility in Jupiter, Fla. St. Louis believed he could have pitched but didn't activate him. When healthy, Bittle owned the Southeastern Conference for three years with an 84-86 mph cutter. He averaged 14.6 strikeouts per nine innings at Mississippi, even though hitters were looking for the cutter. Bittle also throws an upper-80s sinker that tops out at 92, and an average changeup. Besides his shoulder, the only real concern is that his cutter moves so much it's often a ball if hitters lay off it. Ticketed to make his pro debut in high Class A, he has a lot of bite in his game as long as his shoulder doesn't bark.
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