Julian Sampson
| IP | 227 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.313 |
| WHIP | 1.564 |
| BB/9 | 3.33 |
| SO/9 | 4.718 |
- Full name Julian Sampson
- Born 01/21/1989 in Sammamish, WA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Skyline
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Drafted in the 12th round (383rd overall) by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 (signed for $390,000).
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Sampson rivals Vancouver's Greg Peavey as the top high school pitcher in Washington, a title Washington State signee Keaton Hayenga was on his way to securing before he tore his labrum sliding into third base. Sampson and Hayenga are much more similar to each other than to Peavey, who has a long national track record. Sampson, like Hayenga, has a projectable pro body (6-foot-5, 200 pounds) and has played high school basketball. He has shown pretty good present stuff, with a fastball that sits in the 90-92 mph range. He has easy velocity and a loose arm, making it easy to project future heat. While Sampson, a University of Washington signee, has flashed brilliance this spring, he has generally not been at his best mostly due to his choice of breaking ball. In the past, he flashed a slider with above-average tilt and velocity, a flat-out filthy pitch last summer and fall on the showcase circuit. This spring, though, he has more frequently used a slower, looping curveball that doesn't have much potential. A team that has seen Sampson good still could pop him as high as the second round because of his velocity, athleticism and future potential.
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The Phillies play in such a small big league park, they value groundball pitchers in development, and Sampson probably has the best sinker in the system among potential starting pitchers. It's a hard sinker that he uses to consistently get ground balls. Club officials don't worry that opponents hit .285 against him, focusing instead on the fact he gave up just five homers in low Class A. They're also focused on how he kept getting better, posting a 3.83 ERA in his last 14 starts and winning his final five decisions. Sampson also throws a solid slider with plus potential down the line due to its depth. His fastball had average velocity in 2008, getting to 92-93 mph consistently, and he maintained velocity on both pitches throughout the season. Sampson, who signed for a $390,000 bonus, didn't throw much of a changeup in high school, and the pitch made major progress with Lakewood, supplanting his soft curveball as his third pitch. He's shelved the curve in favor of his slider. If it all comes together, Sampson will be throwing 90-94 mph sinkers with a plus slider and average changeup with a big, durable body and clean arm action. He's a potential No. 2 starter ticketed for high Class A this season. -
Clubs shied away from Sampson in the 2007 draft because of signability concerns, but the Phillies were able to nab him for $390,000 with their 12th-round pick. An outstanding athlete who also played basketball in high school, Sampson has a projectable body with good stuff already in place. Sampson's fastball sits at 90-92 mph, and his loose, easy arm makes it easy to project an increase in velocity as he physically matures. He touched 94 mph with his heater during instructional league. Sampson used two different breaking balls during his amateur career, but his plus hard slider has two-plane break and suits his arsenal better than his softer curveball. The Phillies are leaving both breaking balls on the table for now, and he made strides with tightening the spin on his curveball in instructional league. Sampson has feel for a changeup, but it's easily his fourth-best pitch. Philadelphia raves about his presence and poise, as well as his ability to repeat his relatively simple delivery. He works downhill well. Sampson will be in the mix for a low Class A rotation spot, though he could open 2008 in extended training.
