Tyler Pelland Stats & Scouting Report

IP	566
ERA	4.071
WHIP	1.535
BB/9	4.945
SO/9	8.555

Full name Tyler W. Pelland
Born 10/09/1983 in Middlebury, VT
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: L
School Mount Abraham
Drafted in the 9th round (268th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2002.

View Draft Report

Pelland compares favorably to Connecticut's Mark Rosen, regarded as the premier lefthander in New England and a likely second- to fourth-round pick. Both are smallish with good breaking balls and 90-91 mph fastballs. Pelland dominates weak competition in Vermont, though his fastball is straight and he lacks a changeup. He also exerts more effort than Rosen and is not quite as polished. Pelland may end up at Clemson because one of his high school coaches is the brother of Tigers coach Jack Leggett.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

In November, the Reds faced decisions on both lefthanders they acquired in the trade that sent Scott Williamson to Boston in 2003. They placed former first-round pick Phil Dumatrait on waivers to remove him from the 40-man roster and lost him to the Pirates. Meanwhile, they added Pelland to the roster after he had succeeded following a full-time move to the bullpen in May. His new role allowed him to junk his fringy changeup and rely primarily on his 90-92 mph fastball and tight slider. Durability also became less of an issue, and he responded better to short stints as a reliever. His command issues and his lack of an adequate third pitch always kept him from reaching his potential as a starter. Pelland's fastball/slider combination proved nearly unhittable for lefthanders (.130 batting average with 32 strikeouts in 80 at-bats) last year, but he didn't have nearly the same success against righthanders (.275). Pelland has a future as a lefty reliever, though his ceiling is much less than it was when Cincinnati envisioned him as a future No. 3 starter. The Reds have multiple lefty bullpen options, so Pelland figures to begin the season in Triple-A.
The Reds have patiently waited for Pelland to prove to be the payoff from the 2003 Scott Williamson deal, but the Vermont native has struggled with inconsistency. The sum of Pelland's stuff has proven to be less than expected. He throws a 92-93 mph four-seamer and a two-seamer that shows good, if inconsistent, life. He'll spin off a plus curveball though his feel for the pitch comes and goes, and he also throws a below-average changeup. He doesn't trust his stuff, which leads to him nibbling. He gets behind in the count and his lack of a secondary pitch he can trust leads to too many walks. He walked three or more batters in 22 of his 28 starts. He also has had trouble fielding his position. His 3.99 ERA is somewhat misleading, as he gave up 15 unearned runs. At some point, Pelland may have to move to the pen if he can't cut down on his walks, but the Reds continue to exercise patience.
Cincinnati acquired lefties Phil Dumatrait and Pelland from the Red Sox for Scott Williamson at the July 2003 trade deadline. While Dumatrait has been waylaid by Tommy John surgery, Pelland quickly emerged as the top lefty in the Reds system. After posting an 8.66 ERA in low Class A in 2004, he made a successful transition to full-season ball, jumping to high Class A, in 2005. Pelland throws his four-seam fastball at 92-93 mph and can dial it up to 95 at times, and he also has a lively two-seamer. He commands his fastball well, and shows the ability to spin a plus curveball. He's a good athlete who has dominated in spurts. Pelland's curve is inconsistent. When it's not on, hitters can sit on his fastball because his circle changeup is below average and hasn't developed as expected. At 22, he's still far from a refined product, as his control numbers suggest, although as a Northeastern pitcher, he doesn't have many innings on his arm. Pelland has a fresh arm, but needs to take a significant step forward as he approaches Double-A. If he can't improve his secondary pitches, a future in the bullpen awaits him.
The Reds got Pelland, a Vermont prep phenom who led the state in strikeouts and ERA as a senior, from the Red Sox in the Scott Williamson trade in 2003. Pelland righted himself after a disastrous stint in low Class A with a strong second half at Rookie-level Billings. Pelland has power stuff. His four-seam fastball sits at 92-94 mph and reaches 95. He added an 89-90 mph two-seamer with good life last year. His circle changeup has the makings of a plus pitch, as it arrives in the low 80s with late tumble. He's athletic and has a durable frame. Midwest League hitters hammered Pelland because he threw across his body and couldn't spin his curveball for strikes. Billings pitching coach Vern Ruhle, now the Reds' minor league pitching coordinator, helped him pitch more directly to the plate, improving his curve and his command. Ruhle's adjustments and Pelland's aptitude turned a nightmare season into a learning experience. He'll get another shot at low Class A in 2005. The progress of his curve will determine whether he reaches his ceiling as a middle-of-the-rotation starter.
Former Reds special assistant Al Goldis' work in the Gulf Coast League also paid off with Pelland. Goldis recommended that the Reds acquire him from the Red Sox last July, and they did later that month in the Scott Williamson deal. Pelland would have gone in the first five rounds in 2002 if not for his commitment to Clemson, and he got fourth-round money ($240,000) as a ninth-rounder. Pelland has a 90-95 mph fastball with good late life in the strike zone. He's mechanically sound, drawing comparisons to Mike Hampton. His changeup has good action and deception. He shows a good feel for setting up hitters. He has made significant strides with his stuff in just one season as a pro. Because of his stocky build, Pelland isn't projectable, though he already flashes plus velocity. He has a feel for a power breaking ball, but it's inconsistent at this point. Reds officials say Pelland will be able to handle a jump to low Class A, coming off an impressive showing in instructional league. He probably won't surface in Cincinnati until 2007.
The Red Sox didn't draft as many New England players in 2002 as they had in the past. The exception was Pelland, one of the region's top prospects. Because he was committed to Clemson--one of Pelland's high school coaches is the brother of Tigers coach Jack Leggett-- he lasted until the ninth round, about five lower than expected. Pelland is a stocky 6-footer, though that doesn't prevent him from reaching the low 90s. Like Juan Cedeno and Denny Tussen, he's very much a project. Pelland's curveball and changeup are below-average, and he'll have to develop more movement on his fastball. He throws with effort and won't add much if any velocity, so making those improvements is critical. He signed late and won't make his pro debut until June. He'll start his career in the Gulf Coast League after spending two months in extended spring training.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Red Sox paid $240,000 to land Pelland, a New Englander drafted in the ninth round a year ago, but sent him to the Reds in a deal for big league reliever Scott Williamson. Pelland simply moved from one Southern Division team to another after the trade. Pelland showed a power arm, with a fastball that was normally 90-91 mph but often reached 95. He also flashed a quality breaking ball and pitched aggressively inside. "He's very sound mechanically," Twins manager Rudy Hernandez said, "but he's still a little wild and his breaking ball and changeup need work."