Billy Petrick
| IP | 398 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.776 |
| WHIP | 1.307 |
| BB/9 | 2.827 |
| SO/9 | 7.485 |
- Full name William John Petrick
- Born 04/29/1984 in Kankakee, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Morris Community
- Debut 06/27/2007
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Drafted in the 3rd round (93rd overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2002 (signed for $459,000).
View Draft Report
One of the best long snappers in the nation, Petrick has signed to play football with Washington State. He's an enticing baseball prospect because he's 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds and has thrown 88-91 mph all spring in bad weather. He needs polish but won't be a long-term project. He has the makings of a solid curveball, though he tips it off because he slows down his arm speed when he throws it. Petrick also has a feel for a changeup and is all the more projectable because he's just 17. The Cubs have monitored his progress closely.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Petrick was developing nicely as one of the Cubs' top starting pitching prospects before going down with a small tear in his labrum in May 2005. Following arthroscopic surgery, he returned to the mound in the second half of 2006 and took off after moving to the bullpen last season. He started 2007 in high Class A and advanced to the majors by June. Petrick's best pitch when he was coming up as a starter was a heavy 91-92 mph sinker, but he showed a mid-90s four-seam fastball that touched 97-98 in multiple big league outings. His slider also played up, reaching as high as 86-87 mph while he was with the Cubs. In the minors, he worked mostly with a 91-94 mph heater and a low-80s slider. A former Washington State football recruit as a long snapper, he always has exhibited an aggressive demeanor that served him well as a reliever. Petrick went more with his four-seamer last year, trading velocity for movement. That decision left him more vulnerable to homers, as he gave up nine in 65 innings after surrendering just 10 in 332 frames in his previous five seasons. He fell behind too many hitters during his two big league stints, but throwing strikes wasn't an in issue in the minors, so it was more a matter of rookie jitters than anything. Chicago brought him back slowly, never using him on consecutive days all season, though he still ran out of gas toward the end. He permitted 11 runs in his final seven innings and made just four Triple-A appearances in August. Petrick should be ready for a full workload in 2008, and he'll be back with the Cubs once he shows some consistency at Triple-A. -
Petrick was one of the Cubs' top pitching prospects until he hurt his shoulder in May 2005. Doctors discovered a small tear in his labrum, which was repaired with arthroscopic surgery. Sidelined for a year, he returned to the mound in the second half of 2006 and showed that he still had his trademark 91-92 mph heavy sinker. The pitch is so difficult to lift that he has given up just 10 homers in 332 pro innings. The key for Petrick will be developing his secondary pitches. He threw a curveball early in his pro career before scrapping it in favor of a slider. He's still working on throwing his changeup with the same arm speed as his fastball. Petrick's strike-throwing ability hasn't diminished. Nor has his aggressive mentality that's fitting for a once-promising football prospect who could have gone to Washington State as a long snapper. He'll open 2007 with his third stint in high Class A, and the Cubs would love to see him complete his first full season since 2004. -
Signed away from a Washington State football scholarship in 2002--he was recruited as a long snapper--Petrick had developed into one of the system's best righthanders before last year was a total loss. His shoulder had bothered him for the last couple of years, and doctors found fraying in his labrum that had to be fixed with arthroscopic surgery. The problem was discovered before he did major damage. Before he got hurt, Petrick threw a heavy sinker at 90-93 mph. The pitch was difficult to lift, and he has surrendered just seven homers in 280 pro innings. He made strides with his breaking ball in 2004, replacing a loopy curveball with a slider, and had improved his changeup. He still needs to improve his location and do a better job of throwing his changeup with fastball arm speed. Petrick may not be ready to pitch at the beginning of spring training, in which case he'd probably start the season in extended spring. He's still just 21, so the Cubs can afford to take it slow with him. -
Petrick was one of the nation's top long snapper recruits and was headed to Washington State to play football before the Cubs made him a third-round pick and signed him for $459,500. Moved one level at a time, he has made significant progress in three pro seasons. Petrick has a tall, thick frame with a lower half that resembles Mark Prior's, and he uses it to launch heavy 90-93 mph sinkers deep in the strike zone. He led the Midwest League in fewest homers per nine innings (0.2) last year and has allowed just seven longballs in three years. He has shown more aptitude for a slider than the loopy curveball he used to throw, and has improved his changeup. Chicago loves his makeup and his willingness to attack hitters inside. While Petrick throws strikes, he needs to improve the command of all three of his pitches so he won't be so hittable. He tends to telegraph his changeup by slowing his arm speed, one reason lefthanders batted .297 against him in 2004. With Petrick's strong build and stuff, he could grow into a dominant pitcher. He's ready for high Class A in 2005. -
The Cubs weren't able to keep former draft picks Quincy Carter and Antwaan Randle El away from college football, and ultimately the NFL. But they lured Petrick, one of the nation's top long snapper recruits, from a Washington State football scholarship by giving him $459,500 as a 2002 third-round pick. He's strong and athletic for a pitcher, and his lower half reminds the Cubs of Mark Prior's. Petrick is still raw and has much to learn, but he also has the makings of a power pitcher. He throws a low-90s fastball that can reach 96 mph, and he's tough to homer against because he throws on a steep downward plane and has good sink. He's still putting together the rest of his repertoire. His curveball was too big and loopy, so he replaced it with a slider that's in its formative stages. His changeup can become a solid-average pitch in time. His command also needs improvement. Chicago can afford to show lots of patience with Petrick, who will move up to low Class A this year. -
The seventh player drafted by Chicago in 2002, Petrick is the third member of that crop to appear on this list. The Cubs believe they got excellent third-round value in the home-state product, who turned down a Washington State football scholarship as one of the nation's top long-snapper recruits. After signing for $459,500, Petrick won the Arizona League championship game and reached 95 mph in instructional league. During the season, he usually pitched at 88-92 with heavy life. He should throw harder more consistently as he fills out his athletic 6-foot-5 frame. His arm action is loose and easy, which allows him to throw strikes. Petrick also shows the aptitude to spin a curveball and use a changeup. Because the Cubs have a logjam of starters ready for their two Class A clubs, he'll probably pitch at Boise in 2003.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Lansing led the league with a 3.39 ERA thanks to its usual deep collection of pitching prospects. Petrick was the best of a group of righthanders that also included Carlos Marmol and Bear Bay. No MWL pitcher was tougher to take deep than Petrick, who surrendered just three homers in 147 innings. Not only does he have heavy sink on his 90-93 mph fastball, but he also tends to miss low in the zone on the rare occasions when he doesn't throw strikes. With a workhorse 6-foot-6, 240-pound build, Petrick looks like a football player--and he was one of the nation's top long-snapper recruits coming out of high school. He has shelved a loopy curveball in favor of a slider that's getting better, though he still slows down his arm speed too much when he throws his changeup. -
Petrick has the same build as his teammate Marshall--both are 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds--but he's stronger and has a less refined repertoire. "He's just a big horse," McFarland said. Set to be a long snapper for Washington State before signing with the Cubs, Petrick delivers his explosive fastball on a steep downward plane. It reaches the low 90s and bumps 95-96 mph with sinking action. He junked his curveball for a slurvy slider that lacks depth but should improve. A changeup gives Petrick a third offering that should be at least major league average. A good athlete with a loose arm, he uses a simple delivery but sometimes gets out of whack before making mechanical adjustments, derailing his command. -
One of the best long-snapper recruits in the nation, the 6-foot-6, 235-pound Petrick was headed for Washington State to play football, but the Cubs interceded with a $459,500 bonus. Martinez handed him the ball for the one-game championship, and Petrick struck out six in four innings as the Cubs bested the Giants 3-1. Petrick's fastball was clocked anywhere from 89-92 mph and should pick up speed as he refines his mechanics. What makes the pitch so effective now is its heavy life. "He has a very easy delivery, but he's strong and the ball explodes in the strike zone," Harper said.
