David Haehnel Stats & Scouting Report

IP	172
ERA	4.291
WHIP	1.407
BB/9	4.552
SO/9	9.314

Full name David C. Haehnel
Born 07/21/1982 in Cooks Mills, IL
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Illinois - Chicago
Drafted in the 8th round (229th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2004 (signed for $85,000).

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Haehnel enjoyed tremendous success out of the bullpen in his first two years in college, posting a 1.08 ERA as a redshirt freshman in 2002, then leading the Horizon League with nine saves and ranking as the Jayhawk League's top prospect last summer. Moved to the rotation this year, he has continued to make batters swing and miss at his 88-93 mph sinker. His changeup is a well-above-average pitch at times, but he'll need to improve his breaking ball to start at the next level. It's serviceable at best, and he may be better off using a cutter.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Teams always have been tempted to use Haehnel as a starter, but he always has been successful as a reliever so he usually has pitched out of the bullpen. He was the top prospect in the Jayhawk League in 2003, the summer before his draft year, when Illinois-Chicago actually did use him in the rotation and he finished third in the Horizon League in ERA. Baltimore never has put Haehnel in a rotation. He opened 2005 as the closer in low Class A, then became a setup man after a midseason promotion to high Class A. That's the role he seems best suited for. The velocity on his fastball is average or even a tick below, sitting in the high 80s and occasionally touching the low 90s, but Haehnel gets good sink on it. He also has a deceptive delivery that throws hitters off, and his makeup adds to the package. He trusts his stuff and goes right after hitters. His secondary stuff still needs work, however. He throws a slider and changeup but hasn't used them enough to make them effective against more advanced hitters, so the Orioles are considering using him in long relief or possibly as a starter this year so he can get more innings to improve those pitches. He'll probably open the season back in high Class A, with another midseason promotion in the offing if he performs well.
Haehnel worked out of the bullpen in his first two seasons at Illinois-Chicago and ranked as the top prospect in the Jayhawk League in the summer of 2003, then moved into the rotation as a junior and finished third in the Horizon League in ERA. The Orioles sent him back to the bullpen in his first pro experience, as much because he threw 90 innings in the spring as any decision being made about his long-term role. Haehnel's best pitch is his sinker, which he throws from 89-93 mph with beautiful arm action and good deception. He uses his height to get a good downward plane on the pitch, and it has good life. His changeup also has the potential to be a plus pitch, with good depth and fade. He's still working on his breaking pitch, which most closely resembles a slider and is merely adequate at this point. Haehnel needs to refine his offspeed stuff but has tremendous makeup and challenges hitters. He'll need innings to develop, but has one of the most promising arms in the organization. He'll start the 2005 season in low Class A, and the progress of his third pitch will determine whether he ends up starting or relieving.

Minor League Top Prospects

Haehnel excelled out of the bullpen in his first two years at Illinois-Chicago, and did so again for Aberdeen after spending the spring as a starter. Though he doesn't have typical closer velocity with a fastball that tops out at 92 mph, he tied for the NY-P lead with 16 saves and fanned 61 in 37 innings. "I don't know if he's going to become a major league closer or not, but this kid's fastball is the best in the league with the deception and liveliness on it," Tijerina said. "I hope he develops other pitches. Right now he throws a little slider/cutter-type pitch with not very big break." His changeup can be a plus pitch at times, and if he can come up with an effective breaking ball, it's possible he could return to the rotation. But he looked born to close this year.