Dustin Nippert Stats & Scouting Report

IP	268
ERA	5.306
WHIP	1.59
BB/9	4.567
SO/9	7.187

Full name Dustin David Nippert
Born 05/06/1981 in Wheeling, WV
Profile Ht.: 6'8" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School West Virginia
Debut 09/08/2005
Drafted in the 15th round (459th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2002.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After bouncing back from Tommy John surgery in June 2004 and taking the Southern League ERA crown in 2005, Nippert got off to a strong start last season, winning his first seven decisions to earn a big league callup. He got rocked in two starts with Arizona and didn't perform as well when he returned to Tucson, but the Diamondbacks were pleased that he completed 150 healthy innings. Nippert has top-of-the-rotation stuff, with a power fastball and power curveball. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and his curveball is a devastating pitch when he commands it. His changeup also has made progress, though it's a clear notch behind his other two pitches. The Diamondbacks are preaching patience with Nippert, mindful that a 6-foot-7 pitcher who missed a year will need extra development time. They're trying to establish more rhythm in his delivery so he can more consistently repeat his mechanics. He's also still learning about the art of pitching and that every fastball doesn't have to be 95 mph. Nippert will compete for a big league rotation spot in spring training, but he's not one of the top candidates. He has options remaining, so he'll probably go back to Triple-A with an eye toward contributing in 2008.
Considered the system's best pitching prospect entering 2004, Nippert pitched poorly before requiring Tommy John surgery that June. He surprisingly returned in late May and won the Double-A Southern League ERA title. He picked up his first major league win with five one-hit innings against the Dodgers in late September. In a system loaded with elite offensive prospects, Nippert is one of the few pitchers with impact potential. His fastball sits at 92-94 mph and touches 96, and he can throw his spike curveball for strikes or bury it in the dirt. He has the makings of a decent changeup, and his height and arm action allow him to deliver all of his pitches on a steep downward plane. Nippert struggled with his control in his brief big league stint, as he lost confidence and began to nibble at the plate. His fastball can get straight, but he makes up for it with his command and his downhill plane. Nippert will get the chance to win a rotation job in spring training. A little Triple-A seasoning wouldn't hurt if he doesn't make it.
Nippert entered the 2004 season as the No. 3 prospect in the system. He began the year in Double-A, but wasn't nearly as dominant as many expected, which was explained when he went down with an elbow injury in June and underwent Tommy John surgery. When healthy, Nippert offers two plus-plus pitches. His long physique allows him to throw his low 90s fastball with an incredible downward plane, and his curveball is a hard 12-to-6 breaker. He has very good command and surprisingly consistent mechanics, considering his size. His changeup has made great strides since signing and projects as an average pitch. Nippert needs to gain more confidence in his offspeed pitches, and not try to get by solely on his heater. The track record for Tommy John surgery survivors gets better with each season, so Arizona feels he can come back strong. His rehab is going as scheduled, and he'll look to return to the mound at some point in the second half of 2005.
The Diamondbacks lengthened Nippert's stride after signing him, and it helped him gain command of his power repertoire. He endured a scare during the 2003 season, when doctors found a golf-ball-sized tumor under his left armpit. It was benign and removed arthroscopically, but did cost him two months. Arizona scout Greg Lonigro signed Nippert's identical twin Derik as a 36th-rounder in 2003. Nippert pounds the strike zone with two plus pitches, a 92-96 mph fastball and a power curveball with a 12-to-6 break. He stays tall during his delivery and throws on a downhill plane, getting the most out of his 6-foot-7 frame. Nippert didn't have a third pitch until his changeup gained consistency in the Arizona Fall League. While Nippert throws plenty of strikes, he sometimes delivers too many and can leave his fastball up in the zone at times. He must learn about wasting pitches in pitcher's counts. He also needs to further integrate his changeup into his repertoire. After two strong minor league seasons and a stellar AFL, Nippert will skip a level and jump to Double-A. He has the stuff to develop into a front-of-the-rotation starter.
Like Randy Johnson but with a much lower profile, Nippert never got comfortable with his gangly body and quality stuff while pitching in college. He began the 2002 college season in West Virginia's rotation, but pitched his way into the bullpen. Diamondbacks area scout Greg Lonigro stayed on Nippert because he's 6-foot-7 and threw in the low 90s. After Arizona signed him, Nippert tinkered with his three-quarters delivery, lengthening his stride and achieving immediate impact. His velocity improved to the mid-90s with a high of 98 mph, and his command got dramatically better. With a power curveball, he might have as good a 1-2 punch as any pitcher in the system, and he's intelligent on the mound. Nippert still has to refine his changeup but the Diamondbacks don't believe he's a fluke. They may give him a chance to prove that by jumping him three levels to high Class A this year.

Minor League Top Prospects

Nippert returned strong from an operation to remove a benign tumor in 2003 and Tommy John surgery last year. He led the league in ERA and made his big league debut in September. He still has the same good stuff he showed before: a 92-95 mph fastball that reaches 97, and a changeup with excellent sink and fade. Nippert also has a decent curveball, but it's inconsistent. He intimidates hitters with his 6-foot-7 frame. "The first time we saw Nippert, he was probably the best righthanded pitcher we had seen against us all year as far as velocity for a long period of time," Shoemaker said. "He just kept pounding his fastball, and being a big guy, it came in at a downhill plane. This guy is a power pitcher, a big guy with a good future."
Nippert, one of the bigger stories of the 2003 Arizona Fall League, was just starting to come into his own as a prospect when his season and career were interrupted. He went down during a June start against Wichita with an elbow injury, and a subsequent exam found he needed Tommy John surgery, shelving him until the middle of 2005. A 15th-round pick out of West Virginia, Nippert was harnessing the power of his 6-foot-7, 200-pound frame. He still needs to come up with something offspeed when he returns from his injury to keep lefthanded hitters, who hit .306 against him, in check. But he overwhelms righthanded hitters with an 88-94 mph fastball and a sharp downer curveball. At times he has trouble staying on top of the ball, but when he does, it's hard for hitters to get any lift against him--Nippert allowed no home runs in his 72 innings. "I almost expected more out of his arm," the NL scout said, noticing Nippert hadn't pitched since June. "Maybe that explains it."
Nippert made his first five professional appearances out of the bullpen and allowed just five hits. The lanky 6-foot-7, 210-pounder throws on a steep downhill plane and tops out at 95 mph, though he pitches consistently between 90 and 92. "We were like, ‘Wow, very impressive,' " Howell said. "We got him out of the bullpen and into the rotation." One of the league's most aggressive pitchers, Nippert goes right after hitters with his overpowering fastball and sharp curveball. He also shows great command and the ability to work hitters up the ladder or side-to-side. The Ohio native also has very low mileage on his arm. The only thing Nippert struggled with this summer was staying healthy. Back spasms forced him to miss a few starts and leave early in others. He also has yet to develop a third pitch. "Our main focus is to get him healthy and get his innings," Howell said. "He's not the next Randy Johnson or anything, but he's very effective just with a fastball and curveball."