Lance Pendleton
| IP | 18 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 7 |
| WHIP | 1.722 |
| BB/9 | 5.5 |
| SO/9 | 6.5 |
- Full name Lance Michael Pendleton
- Born 09/10/1983 in Houston, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Rice
- Debut 04/15/2011
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Drafted in the 4th round (139th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2005 (signed for $215,000).
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Pendleton has been an enigma this spring. Scouts projected him as a possible second-round pick after he hit .326 and led Rice with 11 homers as a sophomore, but his average has plummeted 73 points in 2005. He has the tools to hit for average and power, but has run hot and cold all season. There's no one reason scouts or coaches can point to as an explanation. Pendleton is a good athlete with near-average speed and a plus arm, and he should be able to add some more strength to his long, lean frame. Some teams may prefer Pendleton on the mound, where he has shown more consistency as a reliever. He throws a 90-94 mph fastball that's fairly straight, and his breaking ball is a plus pitch when he commands it. Though he won't go as high in the draft as he once figured and Rice players often return for their senior seasons, Pendleton still is considered fairly signable.
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Pendleton has flown under the radar since his college days at Rice. He was a reliever on the 2003 national championship team but got more playing time as a hitter, with 20 homers in three seasons. The Yankees drafted him as a pitcher in 2005 and nursed him back from Tommy John surgery in his first pro season. Pendleton has proven his durability since then, tossing 430 innings over the next three seasons and reaching Triple-A in 2010. The Astros plucked him in the second round of the major league Rule 5 draft in December, and Pendleton immediately began working out at Minute Maid Park preparing for 2011. Pendleton throws strikes with an average fastball at 89-93 mph and three fringy secondary pitches: curveball, slider and changeup. His fastball command stands out more than any particular pitch, as he works on a downhill plane and keeps the ball down to both sides of the plate. Some scouts prefer Pendleton's sinking changeup as his best pitch, but he was more effective with his fringy downer curveball, holding righthanders to a .189 average. If Pendleton doesn't snag one of the Astros' 25-man roster spots, he'll have to clear waivers and be offered back to the Yankees before he can be sent to the minors. He has a chance to stick, either as the fifth starter or more likely in a long relief/set-up role.
