Tony Butler Stats & Scouting Report

IP	369
ERA	4.463
WHIP	1.472
BB/9	4.976
SO/9	8.341

Full name Anthony James Butler
Born 11/18/1987 in Milwaukee, WI
Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Oak Creek
Drafted in the 3rd round (81st overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2006 (signed for $445,000).

View Draft Report

Tony Butler is tall (6-foot-7) and likely headed to Arkansas. He's the top lefthanded pitching prospect in the upper Midwest. He has an 86-87 mph fastball that tops out at 90, and his curveball is a good second pitch. His arm action isn't fluid, putting a lot of stress on his shoulder and making it difficult for him to maintain his velocity deep into games.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Orioles got plenty from the Mariners in the Erik Bedard trade--Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, George Sherrill and Kam Mickolio--so if Butler pans out, that would just be icing on the cake. His performance was all over the map in his year and a half in the Mariners system, but it's hard to deny the intrigue of a 6-foot-7 lefthander whose fastball touches 92 mph. He battled a dead arm and wasn't always in top shape with Seattle, and the same problems bothered him after the trade. He had a sore shoulder and pitched just 55 innings, getting shut down for most of May and then for the rest of the season in mid-June. No structural problems were discovered and he didn't require surgery, so Butler is expected to be healthy for spring training. At his best, he shows an 88- 92 mph fastball with late life and natural sink, a curveball that's a plus pitch at time and a changeup that should be effective as well. Because of his limited experience and big frame, repeating his mechanics and commanding all his pitches are Butler's biggest issues. Staying healthy and getting in innings would allow him to work those problems out. A full season of steady performance in 2009 could rocket Butler up this list.
After sitting at 86-87 mph and touching 90 for much of his senior year, Butler's velocity peaked in the mid-90s right before the draft, prompting the Mariners to invest a third-round pick in the projectable lefty. He dominated in the Northwest League in his debut, but slumped at low Class A Wisconsin in his sophomore season, getting out of the gates at 0-6, 7.02 with 30 walks, 29 strikeouts and six home runs in 33 first-half innings. Butler spent time on the disabled list twice with a dead arm. His above-average 88-92 mph four-seam fastball features late life, and he uses his 6-foot-7 frame to leverage it down in the strike zone. He also can buckle knees with his 76-80 mph curveball, which is one of the system's best. Butler has feel for a changeup with late fade and deception. Pitching in Appleton may have posed distractions to Butler, whose hometown is nearby Oak Creek, Wis. He was not prepared to pitch every five days and he'll need to improve his endurance. Butler was hit hard, especially in the first half, as he struggled to command his fastball. His arm action is not fluid, which provides deception but also puts stress on his shoulder and makes it difficult to maintain velocity. In fact, Midwest League observers were impressed that Butler got so much bite on his curveball with his slinging delivery. Though he didn't live up to expectations in 2007, Butler still is a physical lefty with stuff who projects as a mid-rotation starter or reliever. He recovered in the second half, going 4-1, 3.29 with 44 strikeouts and 16 walks in 52 innings, but the Mariners may opt to send Butler back to Wisconsin to catch his breath. He'll be ready for high Class A at some point in 2008.
Butler spent much of the spring pitching at 86-87 mph, and the consensus was that his projection wasn't enough to warrant buying him away from an Arkansas scholarship. But area scout Joe Bohringer and Midwest supervisor Ken Madeja stayed on Butler, who suddenly jumped to 94-95 right before the draft. Seattle stole him with a third-round pick and signed him for $445,000. Butler maintained his newfound velocity in his debut, working at 89-92 mph and touching 95. His fastball has late life and he uses his 6-foot-7 frame to leverage it down in the strike zone. He also can buckle knees with his 76-80 mph curveball, which already ranks as the best in the system. He has feel for a changeup with late fade and deception. Mature and intelligent, he showed no fear while blowing away hitters at two levels. While Butler has made some adjustments to his mechanics, becoming more fluid and reducing the stress on his shoulder, he still can improve the timing with his leg drive. His changeup and control need more consistency, as he walked 34 batters in 56 pro innings. Butler will open his first pro season in his native Wisconsin, and if he pitches like he did last summer he won't stay long in low Class A. He has a ceiling as a No. 2 starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

Butler seemed destined to attend Arkansas when he spent most of his high school senior season pitching at 86-87 mph and topping out at 90. Then he started popping some 94s and 95s right before the draft, prompting the Mariners to grab him in the third round. He mowed down hitters in the Rookie-level Arizona League and was just as effective following a promotion to Everett. Butler continued to show better stuff and mechanics than he did for most of his Wisconsin high school career. He generates plenty of leverage with his strong 6-foot-7 frame, getting good extension out front in his fluid delivery, though he needs to improve his timing with his leg drive. Butler pitches in the 89-92 range with his fastball and touches 93-95, and he projects to throw even harder as he continues to mature. His 76-80 mph curveball should also be at least an average pitch, with three-quarters break and tight rotation. Butler has a feel for a changeup with late fade and deception. With his combination of size, stuff and feel for pitching at a young age, he profiles as a possible No. 2 starter.