Anthony Whittington
| IP | 108 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.917 |
| WHIP | 2.056 |
| BB/9 | 7.5 |
| SO/9 | 8.75 |
- Full name Anthony Myles Whittington
- Born 10/09/1984 in Charleston, WV
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: L
- School Buffalo
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Drafted in the 2nd round (60th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2003 (signed for $650,000).
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Whittington has plus-plus life on his fastball, which reached 94-95 mph early in the season but slipped to the 84-90 range as he tired under a heavy workload. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, Whittington already has a man's frame and conjures images of Steve Carlton. He has a long, quick arm action that makes him projectable, but he's unrefined and doesn't have a good feel for pitching. He throws every pitch from a different arm slot and lacks a consistent second offering. His breaking ball is slurvy. He'll need two seasons in Rookie ball to smooth out the rough edges. Whittington often started two games a week and made four starts over one 10-day stretch. Still, he could be a premium pick, possibly as high as the third round. A volunteer fireman in high school, he committed to Oklahoma State because of its fire management major.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Whittington threw four no-hitters as a high school senior and was the top prospect in West Virginia, but he's had little success as a pro. He was overworked in high school, and some scouts have compared him to Arthur Rhodes, another power lefthander who had a heavy prep workload without much formal instruction, which reinforces bad habits. Whittington remains a raw thrower who lacks much feel for pitching. He's still ironing out his mechanics and struggles to repeat his delivery and arm slot. He's too stiff and rigid through his windup, affecting his command. He has a live arm and a durable frame, though. He pitches between 88-92 mph and has flashed mid-90s heat. His inconsistent, slurvy breaking ball has good bite at times, but varies in break and effectiveness. His changeup still needs a lot of work. Whittington has considerable upside if he can learn to harness his stuff. He pitched well in instructional league but remains a project. He should finally make his full-season debut this year, his third pro season. -
Whittington hurled four no-hitters last spring and went 13-2, 0.80 with 187 strikeouts in 82 innings, gaining recognition as West Virginia's best prospect. Expected to go as high as the fifth round early last spring, he kept improving his stock steadily. He threw well for Yankees scouts in a predraft workout in Tampa and could have gone to New York four picks after Anaheim popped him in the second round. A volunteer fireman in high school, Whittington had committed to Oklahoma State because of its fire-management program. It took a month and a $650,000 bonus to lure him to pro ball. While he flashes 94 mph heat, he's a deep projection who has a long way to go with his feel for pitching. He struggled with command and consistency in his debut. His fastball features explosive life and he showed the makings of a tight slider, which too often gets slurvy because he also throws a curveball. At some point the Angels will try to get him to settle on one breaking ball, most likely the slider. Whittington didn't need to mix his changeup in often, but when he did he displayed a nice touch and occasional running action. At 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds, he's physically imposing, and his long, loose and easy arm action make him projectable. He has conjured comparisons to John Rocker for his size and overpowering fastball. Whittington has plenty of room for improvement with his mechanics. He shouldered a heavy workload last year in high school, making four starts over one 10-day stretch. Not surprisingly, his fastball dipped to 84-90 mph before the draft. His velocity was solid again in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He's ticketed for extended spring training and the rotation in Rookie-level Provo. The Angels understood the risk involved in selecting Whittington, but gambled on his upside potential. Other clubs viewed him more as a power reliever down the road.
