Chris Flinn
| IP | 582 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.175 |
| WHIP | 1.39 |
| BB/9 | 3.155 |
| SO/9 | 7.809 |
- Full name Christopher Daniel Flinn
- Born 08/18/1980 in Bethpage, NY
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 197 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School SUNY Stony Brook
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Drafted in the 3rd round (79th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2001 (signed for $466,000).
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Flinn was the best college pitcher in the Northeast this spring, according to a number of scouts and coaches. He continued to get better as the season progressed. A four-pitch pitcher, his fastball was normally in the 89-91 mph range with a high of 94. His best weapon is a knuckle-curve that one scout compared to Mike Mussina's, the standard by which that pitch is measured. Flinn, whose nine-inning average of 12.5 strikeouts was one of the nation's best, has sound mechanics and has never been hurt. The one knock on him is that he's a 6-foot righthander, which may knock him out of the early rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Devil Rays' greatest need is pitching, and Flinn is yet another arm they plucked from the 2001 draft. He was their third-round pick behind Dewon Brazelton and Jon Switzer, and other signees included Chris Seddon (fifth round) and Chad Gaudin (34th). Tampa Bay's haul would have been even more impressive had it been able to sign David Bush (fourth), now a top prospect in the Toronto system, and Thomas Diamond (38th) and Eric Beattie (47th), who project as possible first-round picks in 2004. Flinn has good stuff and knows how to pitch. He throws a low-90s fastball, a tough knuckle-curve, a solid splitter and a decent slider. He pitches to both sides of the plate and keeps the ball down in the strike zone. The Rays believe he'll be ready after he repeats his delivery more often, giving him better balance and more consistency. Flinn made 10 relief appearances in 2003 and could be a valuable swingman in Tampa. He'll return to Double-A, where he finished strong at the end of last year. -
The Rays pushed Flinn at the beginning of 2002 after watching him put together a strong pro debut in 2001, along with solid showings during instructional league and spring training. After initially bypassing Charleston, he struggled during his six weeks at Bakersfield. Once he was sent back to low Class A, he ranked third in the South Atlantic League in ERA and limited opponents to a .222 batting average. Flinn tossed at least six innings in 18 of his 19 starts and allowed three earned runs or fewer in all but two outings. He throws three pitches, including a plus fastball in the 90-93 mph range and a mesmerizing knuckle-curve that serves as his out pitch. His straight changeup is average, and he does a good job of moving all of his pitches around in the strike zone. While Charleston pitching coach Xavier Hernandez did an excellent job with him, Flinn still needs to improve his overall command. He also must repeat his delivery and maintain the consistency of his release point. A return trip to high Class A is most likely for Flinn in 2003, with the possibility of a midseason promotion to Double-A. -
The only thing that kept Flinn out of the first two rounds of the 2001 draft was his height. There's a scouting bias against righthanders around 6 feet tall, but if first impressions mean anything, Flinn will rise above such prejudices. After rewriting the record books at Stony Brook and ranking as the top college pitcher in the Northeast last spring, he opened some eyes with equally impressive showings in the short-season New York-Penn League and instructional league. Though not overpowering, Flinn throws a lot of strikes by spotting his 89-93 mph fastball. His out pitch is a knuckle-curve with great life and above-average depth. The pitch has been compared to Mike Mussina's. Flinn's mechanics are also polished, and his delivery reminds some scouts of David Cone. Yet during instructional league, he impressed the Rays the most with his intelligence and overall maturity. While some observers believe his overall package might fit best in the bullpen down the road, Flinn needs to be challenged with innings against more experienced hitters at higher levels. He'll continue starting this year either at one of Tampa Bay's Class A affiliates.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Flinn was one of the top pitchers in the Northeast this spring and rewrote the pitching record book at SUNY Stony Brook. He's not overpowering and some teams were concerned with his size, though the Devil Rays were glad to add him in the third round as they stocked up on arms. Flinn is a cerebral, mature pitcher with polished mechanics. One scout compared his delivery to David Cone. He spots his 89-91 mph fastball, and his knuckle-curve is an above-average pitch that features late life and depth. His stuff might be best suited for the bullpen.
