Chad Orvella Stats & Scouting Report

IP	82
ERA	5.817
WHIP	1.878
BB/9	5.817
SO/9	7.244

Full name Chad Robert Orvella
Born 10/01/1980 in Renton, WA
Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School North Carolina State
Debut 05/31/2005
Drafted in the 13th round (368th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2003.

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Chad Orvella is a scrappy shortstop with a knack for getting on base, but his .173 summer in the Cape Cod League in 2002 killed scouts' interest in his bat. He still has a pro future, however, as he has been clocked up to 95 mph while pitching occasionally in relief for North Carolina State. He also has an 82-83 mph slider and good command. He's still learning on the mound, as his 10.24 regular-season ERA would attest.

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Mainly a shortstop in college, Orvella made it to the majors as a pitcher less than two years after he turned pro. He was unhittable in the minors, posting a 1.22 ERA, .159 opponent average and 160-17 K-BB ratio in 111 innings. He assumed a late-inning set-up role with the Devil Rays, though he didn't pitch after Sept. 16 because of a sore shoulder. When he was a shortstop, Orvella's best tool was his arm, which now delivers consistent 92-94 mph fastballs with late life. Hitters can't sit on his heater because he has a plus changeup, which is a nifty weapon against lefthanders. His numbers testify to his ability to locate the ball where he wants. Orvella's slider can be a plus pitch at times, but it lacks consistency and is significantly behind his fastball and changeup. While his shoulder problem was diagnosed as mild irritation, he's not big and never has worked more than 75 innings in a season. Orvella and Lance Carter once again should serve as Danys Baez' primary set-up men. Baez continually gets mentioned in trade talks, and Orvella is his likely successor should Baez get dealt.
Primarily a shortstop in college, Orvella took a shipment of bats with him to short-season Hudson Valley after signing. The Devil Rays had no intention of having him do anything other than pitch. The initial results have been amazing, with a 132-11 strikeout-walk ratio and .158 opponent average in 86 pro innings. Orvella works off a late-moving 92-94 mph fastball that touches 97. He also has a plus changeup with fade and depth, as well as a slider that can be unhittable. His command and aggressiveness make his stuff even better. Orvella's slurvy breaking ball needs more consistency, and he doesn't have prototype size, though that hasn't held him back. A full-time pitcher for less than two years, he's still learning his craft. The Rays will give Orvella a long look during spring training. Though he could return to Triple-A Durham to open 2005, he's on track to become the first homegrown closer in franchise history.
Orvella spent most of his time at North Carolina State as a light-hitting shortstop and had an 8.10 ERA in 13 innings as a senior last spring. But he showed a 94-95 mph while on the mound, so the Devil Rays moved him there full-time after signing him as a 13th-rounder. Orvella blew away hitters in the short-season New York-Penn League until he partially tore the meniscus in his left knee and required minor yet season-ending surgery. Tampa Bay believes his fastball could produce even more velocity now that he's devoting his efforts to pitching on a full-time basis for the first time. There's not much finesse to his game, but his ability to overpower hitters for short stretches could enable him to become a big league setup man. Orvella also throws a hard slider that's inconsistent, and he has a decent changeup for show. He'll open 2004 as the closer in low Class A.