Josh Slaats Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Josh Adam Slaats
Born 12/22/1988 in San Ramon, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Hawaii
Drafted in the 5th round (170th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2010 (signed for $142,200).

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Slaats came to Hawaii via California High in San Ramon, Calif. He started for the Rainbows his freshman year, but was ineffective and moved to a relief role in 2009 after coming out of the bullpen for Wareham in the Cape Cod League the previous summer. Slaats returned to the Cape last summer and dominated (2-0, 0.95) and reclaimed a spot in Hawaii's weekend rotation, although he didn't become their Friday night guy until midway through this year and missed a start in March with some elbow tenderness. Slaats sits 90-93 mph with his fastball, holding it deep into games, and has even touched 95. Slaats throws a disappearing slider with sharp, two-plane break. His changeup is still coming along but has shown flashes of being a good pitch. Slaats has a physical presence on the mound at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. He repeats his delivery well, but has a tendency to open his hips a little early and fall off to the first-base side. As a pitcher from Hawaii, Slaats final start of the regular season at San Jose State and in the Western Athletic Conference tournament in Mesa, Ariz. will be important, as it will give more scouts a chance to see him.

Top Rankings

Slaats has the ingredients to become a middle-of-the-rotation starter. His fastball sat at 89-91 mph in his pro debut, though it did touch 94 and he showed a little more velocity in the spring at Hawaii. He also mixes in a hard slider and improved his changeup on the mainland, giving him the potential for three average-or-better pitches. A physical presence at 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Slaats has a good idea of how to set up hitters and goes right after them. He doesn't focus on strikeouts--though he had 42 in 32 NWL innings--and induces plenty of weak contact too.