Pat Dean
| IP | 67 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 6.313 |
| WHIP | 1.657 |
| BB/9 | 3.09 |
| SO/9 | 6.716 |
- Full name Patrick Michael Dean
- Born 05/25/1989 in Waterbury, CT
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Boston College
- Debut 05/11/2016
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Drafted in the 3rd round (102nd overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2010 (signed for $319,500).
View Draft Report
Like Virginia Tech's Jesse Hahn, Dean was a skinny, projectable Connecticut prepster in 2007, and like Hahn he blossomed in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Dean's fastball sat in the 84-88 mph range in high school, but he touched 93 mph and held his velocity deep into games as a sophomore at BC last spring. Dean has not been at his best this spring due to elbow inflammation, which caused him to miss a start in mid-March and another three weeks later. But MRIs and X-rays revealed no structural damage, and the Eagles eased him back into action. Through 67 innings, he was 5-1, 3.76 with 51 strikeouts and 10 walks, demonstrating his outstanding control. The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Dean is a competitive lefthander with excellent feel for pitching, earning comparisons to Glen Perkins. He settled into the 88-91 mph range with his fastball this spring and has topped out at 92 on occasion. He has good command of a four-pitch mix, but his solid-average changeup is his best pitch. His slider and curveball both rate as fringe-average offerings. Dean's frame gives scouts pause, but his polish gives him a good chance to reach the big leagues as a back-end starter.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Twins have had success drafting and developing college lefthanders, getting big league production from Glen Perkins and Brian Duensing. They hope Dean can be next in line after signing him for $319,500 as a third-round pick last June. He somewhat resembles Perkins physically, though he's not quite as stocky. Perkins had more fastball velocity when he signed, but Dean has a four-pitch repertoire and a similar ceiling as a No. 4 starter. His compact delivery helps him throw quality strikes regularly, and he has a feel for the strike zone with all four of his pitches. Minnesota didn't push him in his pro debut because he had a strained elbow in the spring, but he had just one walk in 29 pro innings. Dean commands his fastball, which tops out at 93 but sits at 87-91 mph when he's at his best. He's not afraid to pitch inside with his fastball, which sets up his solid changeup on the outer half. The Twins like his ability to spin a breaking ball, and he throws both a slider and a curveball. His curve has true 12-to-6 break, while his slider has some depth but acts more like a cutter. He carved up younger hitters in his debut, constantly getting ahead in counts, and has the polish to move quickly. He could push for a spot in high Class A to start his first full pro season.
Minor League Top Prospects
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A third-round pick from Boston College, Dean was more advanced than most Appy pitchers and proved too crafty for the league's raw, developing hitters. Counting the playoffs, he had a 40-1 K-BB ratio in 30 innings. He consistently put opponents on the defensive with first- and second-pitch strikes, then finished them off with one of four pitches that grade as fringe-average to average. Dean's velocity was down when he joined Elizabethton, but he soon found his customary 89-91 mph fastball and topped out at 92. He turns to his 12-to-6 curveball for most of his strikeouts, especially against lefthanders, and keeps hitters guessing with a fringy changeup and small-breaking slider. Dean missed time with elbow inflammation in the spring, and because the Twins have no short-season affiliate, they opted to take it slow in his debut. Expect him to move quickly once he touches down in full-season ball in 2011.
