Curtis Partch

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #28 prospect in 2014
  Yet another example of a starter who turned into a prospect after a move to the bullpen, Partch, along with fellow hard-throwing righthander Josh Ravin, earned himself a spot on the 40-man roster following the 2012 season after showcasing a plus-plus fastball in the Arizona Fall League. Ravin's control problems led the Reds to waive him during the 2013 season, but Partch parlayed his new status into his big league debut, though a lack of command led to some rough mop-up outings. With a 94-97 mph fastball, Partch doesn't have to paint the black, but he'll have to improve his ability to work down in the zone. He gave up six home runs over the course of four straight big league outings because he kept missing up in the zone. Considering his 6-foot-2 height, he needs to get more downhill plane on his fastball. At his best, Partch mixes a plus fastball and slider that flashes plus. When he stays on top of his slider, it shows good tilt and bite, handcuffing hitters. He has toyed with adding a cutter, because his changeup isn't good enough to keep lefthanders honest. Partch has the stuff to pitch the seventh or eighth inning in the big leagues, but he'll need to fine-tune his command at Triple-A Louisville first.
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  Ranked Cincinnati Reds #27 prospect in 2013
  Originally drafted by the Giants in 2005, Partch instead headed to Merced (Calif.) JC and signed with Cincinnati after two seasons there. One of two Reds relief prospects who pitched their way onto the 40-man roster in part because of their Arizona Fall League performance, Partch doesn't throw quite as hard as Josh Ravin, but he's a better prospect because he has better idea of what he's doing on the mound. Partch isn't one to paint the corners himself, but he does find the strike zone enough to make hitters respect his 94-97 mph fastball. His fastball has good armside run and is tough to lift. His slider and changeup are fringy, though at times the breaking ball flashes low-80s power and bite. The lack of a consistently effective second pitch helps explain why he struggled against lefties, who posted a .922 OPS against Partch in Double-A last year, while he held righties to a .692 OPS. Primarily a starter prior to 2012, Partch took to the bullpen and will head to Triple-A for 2013.