Will Inman Stats & Scouting Report

IP	862
ERA	3.78
WHIP	1.291
BB/9	3.706
SO/9	9.084

Full name William Bentley Inman
Born 02/06/1987 in Danville, VA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Tunstall
Drafted in the 3rd round (85th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2005 (signed for $500,000).

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Inman broke the state's career strikeout record, passing 500 as a senior. His stocky build at 6 feet, 205 pounds doesn't portend the same projection scouts as Thompson, and many stopped following him because he failed to break 90 mph at the 2004 Commonwealth Games and his delivery showed some effort. That could be a mistake, because Inman hit 90-92 mph regularly as a senior, with his coach saying he might have been worn down last summer following a long postseason run. Inman's curveball isn't a true power pitch, but generates a lot of swings and misses. He also throws a splitter and a changeup, and will use any of the four offerings in any count.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

A product of the Scott Linebrink trade with the Brewers in 2007, Inman has built a distinguished minor league résumé. He compiled the second-lowest ERA (1.71) in the minors in 2006 and followed that with a runner-up finish in strikeouts (180) in 2007. Last year, he led the Double-A Texas League with 140 strikeouts, finished second with a .234 opponent average and appeared in the Futures Game. However, his 71 walks also topped the TL. Inman's funky delivery helps him get by with mediocre stuff. He uses a deep arm action in back while simultaneously sweeping his front arm skyward in exaggerated fashion. It results in a slower tempo, which means he doesn't often get great extension and finish on his pitches. With the Padres' blessing, Inman lowered his arm slot slightly in 2008, and while it boosted his velocity, it took some of the bite out of his fringy curveball and diminished his command. He pitches at 87-90 mph and touches 93, and while his fastball is straight, it gets on batters quickly because of his deception. He does a good job selling his plus changeup. Because he has little room for error, Inman will have to sharpen his command to reach his ceiling as a back-end starter. He's ready for Triple-A.
After leading Tunstall High to back-to-back Virginia state titles and setting the state record for career strikeouts, Inman spurned Auburn to sign with the Brewers for $500,000. He posted the second-best ERA (1.71) in the minors in 2006 and followed that up with a runner-up finish for in strikeouts (180) in 2007. He joined the Padres, along with minor league lefties Steve Garrison and Joe Thatcher, in a midseason trade for Scott Linebrink. While not overpowering, Inman can command his average fastball to any part of the strike zone. At his best, he pitches at 88-93 mph with a solid-average curveball and an average changeup. He added shape to his curveball last season, as it had previously resembled a slurve, and used more changeups. He's a fierce competitor who works ahead in the count and understands how to set up hitters. Inman tired badly down the stretch and his velocity dipped to 85-88 mph. This after missing time at the end of the 2006 season with shoulder fatigue. Though he locates it well, Inman's fastball is straight, and when he rushes his delivery, he loses velocity on the pitch. The quality of his secondary stuff varies wildly from start to start. Inman profiles as a No. 3 or 4 starter, and his success hinges on command. He breezed through the lower minors before stumbling a bit in Double-A. He may return to San Antonio to begin 2008, but he's still well ahead of most 21-year-olds.
After leading Tunstall High to back-to-back Virginia state titles and setting the state record for strikeouts, Inman spurned an Auburn commitment to sign for $500,000. He followed a strong pro debut in 2005 by posting the second-best ERA in the minors. Inman isn't overpowering, but he can consistently command his 89-92 mph fastball for strikes in any part of the zone. He stays ahead in the count and complements his fastball with a two-plane slurve that he's trying to develop into a more conventional curveball. He began using his changeup more last season. He is a fiery competitor. Inman missed a month last season with a sore shoulder, perhaps because he three too many breaking balls. He has eliminated much of the effort in his delivery and stayed on a straighter line to the plate, mechanical adjustments the Brewers hope will relieve stress on his arm. He's not projectable and needs to refine his secondary pitches. Any worries Milwaukee had about Inman's sore shoulder were quieted when he didn't allow an earned run in his first five outings after coming off the disabled list. He has the stuff and aggressiveness to move quickly, and he'll pitch at high Class A Brevard County as a 20-year-old.
Inman's stellar pro debut was a major coup for area scout Grant Brittain, who stayed on Inman after many other scouts backed off. Inman toned down a maximum-effort delivery in the spring, and set the Virginia high school career strikeout record when his fastball crept into the 90s. Inman's fastball sits at 92-93 and he has big league command of the pitch-- rare for a high schooler. His slurvy curveball is a swing-and-miss pitch that Milwaukee wants him to tighten into a slider. The club loves his competitiveness, aptitude and willingness to get better. Not much about Inman is typical. His arm action was likened by one club official to that of a javelin thrower--long in the front and the back. The Brewers were able to improve his extension and quiet his delivery. At times he throws too many breaking balls for someone who throws strikes with a live fastball. Inman has the polish and stuff to move quickly, but the Brewers want to take it slow to make sure he maintains his improved delivery. He'll report to low Class A for his first full season.

Minor League Top Prospects

Another piece of the Linebrink trade, Inman has battled his control since changing organizations. While he led the TL with 140 strikeouts in 135 innings and ranked fourth with a 3.52 ERA, he also topped the TL with 71 walks. The key to his repertoire is a plus curveball with good depth. It sets up his 88-92 mph fastball, which gets on hitters in a hurry. He also uses his changeup well, enabling him to keep hitters off balance. Commanding his fastball will be essential as Inman moves up the ladder. His unorthodox delivery offers deception with an exaggerated sweep of his lead arm, but isn't easily repeated. The Missions often had to pull him after five innings because of pitch-count issues.
If this list were based purely on dominance, Inman would be the No. 1 pitching prospect. He led the league with a 1.71 ERA and didn't give up a run in 15 of his 23 outings. Though his fastball has ordinary velocity at 89-90 mph, Inman commands it to all four quadrants of the zone and is willing to attack hitters with it in any count. He complements the fastball with a two-plane slurve, though there are concerns it might have been the cause of the sore shoulder that shut him down for a month. He's working on making it a more conventional 2-to-7 curveball. Inman began to throw a changeup for the first time this season and made progress, but he'll need more confidence in the pitch. While his 6-foot, 200-pound frame doesn't offer much projection in terms of velocity, his strong lower half should give him plenty of durability. "He is special. He has a level that very few have," Greensboro pitching coach Steve Foster said. "You talk about emotional, he is the ultimate competitor. He gave up a triple to lead off the inning and then struck out the side with the guy standing on third. Not many guys can do that."
A reedy righthander, Inman added velocity and command after signing as a third-round pick in June. He didn't allow an earned run in six August starts and surrendered one run or less in 11 of 13 regular-season outings. With the help of Helena pitching coach Mark Littell, Inman expanded his delivery from a coiled, compact motion to a fuller windup, which improved his balance and helped him find a more direct and downhill path to the plate. His fastball touched 95 mph and he sat near 93. Inman must sharpen his slurvy, 75-80 mph breaking ball that currently has an 11-5 break. He showed a feel for his changeup, which the Brewers want to replace his splitter. He's an intense competitor and, thanks in part to taking yoga the past two years, is flexible and athletic.