Jordan Shipers
| IP | 326 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.052 |
| WHIP | 1.537 |
| BB/9 | 3.755 |
| SO/9 | 6.515 |
- Full name Jordan Michael Shipers
- Born 06/27/1991 in Bethany, MO
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 168 / Bats: R / Throws: L
- School South Harrison
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Drafted in the 16th round (492nd overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2010 (signed for $800,000).
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Likewise, the state's top high school pitcher is undersized yet delivers velocity. Shipers, who's 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, pairs an 89-90 mph fastball that reaches 92 with a slider that shows depth at times. He doesn't do it as easily as Stites, with more effort in a delivery that puts stress on his shoulder, and his slider isn't as consistent. He's lefthanded, however, and has the potential for three solid-average major league pitches in his fastball, slider and advanced changeup. South Harrison High doesn't have a team, so he had to showcase his stuff in a wood-bat league in Iowa on weekends. Scouts don't believe he's signable, and he'll be a draft-eligible sophomore at Missouri State in 2012 if he doesn't turn pro.
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Shipers enticed scouts with his performance at the World Wood Bat Championships in Jupiter, Fla., during the fall of 2009. But he was tough to follow last spring because South Harrison High (Bethany, Mo.) is so small that it doesn't have a baseball team. He and his mother drove four hours each way to Iowa to play in a spring wood-bat league so scouts could see him pitch. After graduating, he also pitched against older competition in the California Collegiate League. His diligence paid off, as the Mariners drafted Shipers in the 16th round and paid him $800,000 in August after it became clear they weren't going to sign third-rounder Ryne Stanek. Following his summer performance, Seattle viewed Shipers as a second-round talent. He's a little undersized, but he's a quick-twitch athlete who can run a 6.6-second 60-yard dash. He has a compact, aggressive delivery and good body control, producing the potential for three average or better pitches. Shipers sits at 89-92 mph and can touch 94 with his fastball, which could wind up being his third-best pitch. His slider has sharp break and hard tilt, and his advanced changeup drops like a splitter when it's on. Because he hasn't had much experience, Shipers is raw as a pitcher and still needs to learn fundamentals such as setting up hitters, holding runners and fielding his position. He'll also need to learn how to pitch every fifth day and go deeper into games. Shipers may stay in extended spring training to address those areas before joining Pulaski or short-season Everett in June.
