Ryan Tucker Stats & Scouting Report

IP	42
ERA	8.143
WHIP	1.881
BB/9	5.786
SO/9	6.857

Full name Ryan Christopher Tucker
Born 12/06/1986 in Burbank, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Temple City
Debut 06/08/2008
Drafted in the C-1 round (34th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2005 (signed for $975,000).

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With righthander Sean O'Sullivan taking a step back this spring, Tucker now could be the first high school pitcher drafted out of Southern California. That kind of designation usually means you're virtually guaranteed a spot in the first round, but Tucker is a longshot to go that high because he lacks an acceptable breaking ball. He's never had to worry about having one before because his fastball has been so dominant. It's a lively 92-95 mph pitch that touches 96, and he commands well. Tucker had struck out 69 in 43 innings this spring, while posting a 0.65 ERA. But he struggles to win consistently because good hitters can sit on his fastball. One of his two losses came against a strong Santa Margarita Catholic High team that touched him for eight runs and 11 hits in five innings, even though Tucker was consistently in the mid-90s. Tucker is athletic and has a loose, fluid delivery. He isn't afraid to come inside on hitters.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Marlins' fourth of five picks before the second round in 2005, Tucker signed for $975,000 as a sandwich pick. He reached the majors for three weeks midway through 2008, when he was Florida's minor league pitcher of the year. Surgery on his left knee limited him to six starts last season. At his best, Tucker shows an overpowering fastball that sits at 92-95 mph and touches 97. He likes throwing his changeup and isn't afraid to keep it in his arsenal, even as a reliever. At times, he'll show a tight, late-breaking slider. He's a bulldog on the mound. When things go wrong, Tucker tries to hump up with his fastball, a habit that big league hitters exploited during his brief trial in 2008. While he has learned to control his emotions since getting suspended in 2007 for a pair of confrontations with high Class A Jupiter pitching coach Reid Cornelius, he still needs to work on keeping his poise. His slider needs refinement, after he scrapped previous attempts at mastering a curveball and cutter. Tucker still profiles best as a short reliever but the Marlins have mostly kept him in their minor league rotations in order to help him hone his craft. With a big spring he could make the jump to the major league bullpen, but he will more likely head back to New Orleans as a starter for a second crack at the Pacific Coast League.
A 2005 compensation pick for the loss of former closer Armando Benitez, Tucker signed for $975,000 and reached the majors midway through his third full pro season. However, he was back in Double-A three weeks later after taking his lumps. Blessed with an overpowering fastball that continues to rank among the best in the system, Tucker pitches at 92-95 mph and touches 97. When his slider is on, it's tight and features late break. He continued to use his changeup upon a return to Carolina where he pitched out of the bullpen. His mound presence is a plus and Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria raves about his bulldog mentality. Tucker has a tendency to rely too heavily on his fastball, a failing big leaguers readily exploited. His slider command is inconsistent, causing him to lose confidence with the pitch. Previous attempts at mastering a curveball and cutter were scrapped. He can be hard on himself, growing too emotional when things go against him. He drew a 2007 suspension for twice having words with high Class A Jupiter pitching coach Reid Cornelius, but there have been no further problems. With the big league rotation seemingly overbooked, Tucker is wisely angling for a future in short relief. If he doesn't make the Florida bullpen out of spring training, he'll likely head to the club's new Triple-A New Orleans affiliate and return to starting.
A huge senior season, highlighted by 69 strikeouts in 43 innings, moved Tucker into the sandwich round of the 2005 draft, and he signed for $975,000. He was suspended last season after disputes with Jupiter pitching coach Reid Cornelius, but Marlins officials chalked that up to a natural flareup between two strong personalities. Armed with the biggest fastball in the system, Tucker runs it up there at 93-96 mph and has touched 98. He has gotten better at holding runners, thanks to a slide step he has been able to incorporate. His changeup is solid and he's learned to use it effectively as a second pitch. His mound presence is excellent and he doesn't lack for confidence. Tucker could go straight to the big leagues if he just develops a legitimate slider. His success rate with the pitch remains down in the 20-30 percent range, and that must improve markedly. That's why pitching coordinator Wayne Rosenthal mandated a minimum of 10-15 sliders per game late in 2007. Previous attempts at mastering a curveball or a cutter were scrapped. Tucker should move up the ladder and open the year in Double-A. While some still see him as a future closer, the Marlins plan to keep him in the rotation until he proves otherwise.
Tucker came on strong as a prep senior in 2005, wowing scouts with his big fastball. The Cardinals were among several clubs that thought about taking him in the first round, but he fell to the Marlins at No. 34 and signed for $975,000. He hasn't had as much success as the other members of the Class of 2005, but he may have the highest ceiling. Tucker's fastball remains his calling card, showing late life and the potential to dominate hitters. He pitches at 92-94 mph and touched 98 mph in his first full pro season. His changeup really took off at midseason, helping him post eight straight quality starts. He's a good athlete with a fluid delivery. He has an intense personality and shows no fear on the mound. His breaking stuff needs work. The Marlins took away Tucker's curveball and weren't too impressed with his slider, so they gave him a cutter instead. He began tinkering with it at a fall 2005 minicamp, then broke it out for game use in mid-2006. Tucker will continue to start as he climbs the ladder, though his fastball profiles him as future closer material. Despite middling results in low Class A, he should move up to high Class A along with his fellow 2005 first-rounders.
Tucker's draft stock gathered steam behind a plus fastball that had scouts drooling all spring. Several clubs, including the Cardinals, considered taking Tucker as a first-rounder but he fell to the Marlins as a sandwich pick. They signed him for $975,000 as a compensation choice for the loss of free agent Armando Benitez. Tucker's fastball sits at 92-95 mph and touches 97 with late life. He shows great competitiveness on the mound. A good athlete, he has a loose, fluid delivery and isn't afraid to pitch inside. Because his fastball always has been so dominant, Tucker hasn't needed to develop a consistent breaking ball. The Marlins took his curveball away temporarily and asked him to concentrate on a slider with mixed results. He's listed at 6-foot-3 but is closer to 6 feet tall. Some view Tucker as a future closer while others would like to see him given a chance to develop as a starter. He was hit hard at short-season Jamestown and could be sent back there in 2006.

Minor League Top Prospects

Though he has a career 5.03 ERA and posted the worst numbers of the four 2005 first-rounders in Greensboro's rotation, Tucker may have the most upside of that group. He effortlessly sits at 94-96 mph with his fastball and touches 97, but his secondary stuff needs to get a lot better. There's some thought that he should be learn a cut fastball, which could evolve into an improved slider. While his changeup has some potential and depth, it's still not a reliable weapon and the Marlins had him focusing mostly on his fastball and slider during the season. Tucker's arm strength is rare. As with Erbe, he could become a dominant reliever if he can't develop a full starter's repertoire.
Tucker has the best fastball among the Marlins' quartet of pitching prospects, with velocity in the 94-96 mph range, command and movement. "He was the most impressive pitcher of all," Dodgers manager Luis Salazar said. "He was 95-96, had good command of his fastball and was aggressive on the mound." Tucker's fastball could become even more effective when he adds movement and develops his complementary pitches. His curve became more effective when he found a more consistent target by switching to the third-base side of the rubber. His slider and changeup are works in progress.