Tim Melville

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #31 prospect in 2013
  When the Royals decided to boost their spending in the draft and sign some of the top talents who fell because of their bonus demands, Melville was one of the first beneficiaries in 2008. He signed for $1.25 million and was considered one of the crown jewels of the system. He has shown plenty of potential but little consistency as a pro, however. Some scouts have suggested that the easygoing Melville is a product of the high school showcase culture, where velocity is king but pitchers don' have to worry about extended outings and high-stakes competition. After two subpar seasons with high Class A Wilmington, he moved up to Double-A Northwest Arkansas last year, but he struggled to keep the ball in the park with four home runs in six starts. His season was cut short by a line drive that gave him a compound fracture of the pinky on his throwing hand. He missed two and a half months and was eventually scratched from a planned assignment to the Arizona Fall League. Even with his struggles to produce results, Melville still has impressive stuff. He touched 97 mph this year and showed signs of sharpening his breaking ball. He'll get another chance at Northwest Arkansas in 2013, but he remains a long way from the majors. The Royals didn't protect him on the 40-man roster and he was passed over in the Rule 5 draft, an indication of how far his stock has fallen.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #19 prospect in 2012
  Since signing for a well-over-slot $1.25 million as a fourth-round pick, Melville has climbed significantly slower through the system than fellow 2008 draftee Mike Montgomery. Melville repeated high Class A in 2011 without making huge progress. His fastball still can be a plus pitch but he doesn't always command it, and he doesn't throw it with the conviction expected for someone who works at 92-93 mph and touches 95. He always has nibbled more than scouts would like. Melville's slow curveball lacks consistency, occasionally featuring big break but too often getting loopier than he would like. His changeup is fringy. Scouts outside the organization believe Melville will improve once the Royals give him the freedom to throw a two-seam fastball and a slider. Kansas City wants him to master his current repertoire before he worries about adding more pitches, although it did allow him to start using his slider late in the season. Many high school power pitchers take a while to develop, and the Royals hope that's true with Melville. At this point, his most realistic ceiling may be as a No. 4 or 5 starter or a power reliever. He'll finally make the jump to Double-A this year.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #14 prospect in 2011
  Melville was one of the few prominent Royals prospects who took a step backwards in 2010. He showed flashes of dominance with a one-hitter in April and a two-hitter in June, but command issues usually left him struggling to make it out of the fifth inning. His problems are partly related to his mechanics. He has difficulty maintaining a consistent tempo, and when his delivery slows down, it's a good sign he's going to be in trouble. When he's on, Melville has a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out at 96 with good downhill plane. But he doesn't pitch aggressively with his heater, instead working away from hitters and nibbling at the corners. That adds to his trouble in falling behind in the count. Melville also throws a slow 12-to-6 curveball that can be a plus pitch and an improving changeup. However, his curve often isn't as tight as it needs to be, and he leaves his changeup up in the zone when his mechanics get out of whack. Instead he often tries to work away from hitters, nibbling at the corners. Melville's stuff and excellent frame still give him the potential to develop into a solid middle-of-the- rotation starter, but he must sharpen his feel for pitching and his awareness of his delivery. He'll try to do that when he repeats high Class A in 2011.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #6 prospect in 2010
  Melville was the top high school pitching prospect entering 2008, but didn't quite live up to expectations and scared teams off with his desire for upper-first-round money. He was willing to give Kansas City a home-state discount, and signed for $1.25 million as a fourth-round pick. Because he signed late and the Royals wanted to keep him out of cold weather, he didn't make his pro debut until May 20. With his raw stuff, Melville has the potential to be a frontline starter. His 92-93 mph fastball touches 95, with boring action that makes it effective against lefthanders. His fastball generates strikeouts, but it's most effective as a heavy pitch that forces weak grounders. His curveball is a true 12-to-6 downer that's a plus pitch when he can command it. He has a clean arm action and a pitcher's body that should give him plenty of durability. Melville struggles when he loses his tempo in his delivery. He sometimes slows his arm down, leaving his curveball and changeup up in the zone and making him vulnerable to homers. He has adequate athleticism but has to work to keep his delivery in sync. Because of his inconsistent mechanics, his command and control aren't where they need to be. He lacks conviction in his changeup. Melville could be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter someday. He'll head to Wilmington, where a pitcher-friendly park should give him a chance to get on a roll.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #5 prospect in 2009
  Melville entered 2008 as the top prep pitching prospect in the draft, but concerns about his price tag and a senior season that didn't quite live up to expectations caused him to slide to the fourth round. The Royals snapped him up and signed him for $1.25 million--$960,000 above slot. He's the second Holt High (Wentzville, Mo.) product to figure prominently in the last two drafts, as Holt grad and Missouri State product Ross Detwiler went sixth overall in 2007. At his best, Melville has a 91-95 mph fastball, a plus curveball and an adequate changeup. He has plenty of athleticism and repeats his free and easy delivery, so he has no trouble throwing strikes. He also has the frame to add weight, so he could throw consistently in the mid-90s when he's fully matured. Melville has clean mechanics, but they may have gotten too polished early last spring, costing him deception and velocity. He abandoned some tweaks and reverted to his old delivery by the end of the high school season, and his stuff improved. He needs to find more consistency with his curveball and to refine his changeup. Melville didn't sign until the Aug. 15 deadline, so he'll be making his pro debut in 2009. Fronted by Mike Montgomery and Melville, Burlington's rotation could be one of the best in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Midwest League #11 prospect in 2009
  Burlington had one of the best lefty-righty combinations in the MWL last year with Danny Duffy and Danny Gutierrez, and again in 2009 with Montgomery and Melville. Like Montgomery, Melville stayed away from the league's cold climate until mid-May. He remained with the Bees for the duration and pitched well in the playoffs as they fell to Fort Wayne in the championship round. Melville lacks a little of Montgomery's polish but he has similar potential for multiple plus pitches. His fastball is his best weapon, sitting at 92-93 mph, touching 95 and running in on lefthanders. Though he's far from frail, he could throw harder as he fills out. His 12-to-6 curveball has good bite and he shows some feel for his changeup, though Melville needs to command both pitches better. He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot that he repeats well.

• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  Melville was one of the few prominent Royals prospects who took a step backwards in 2010. He showed flashes of dominance with a one-hitter in April and a two-hitter in June, but command issues usually left him struggling to make it out of the fifth inning. His problems are partly related to his mechanics. He has difficulty maintaining a consistent tempo, and when his delivery slows down, it's a good sign he's going to be in trouble. When he's on, Melville has a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out at 96 with good downhill plane. But he doesn't pitch aggressively with his heater, instead working away from hitters and nibbling at the corners. That adds to his trouble in falling behind in the count. Melville also throws a slow 12-to-6 curveball that can be a plus pitch and an improving changeup. However, his curve often isn't as tight as it needs to be, and he leaves his changeup up in the zone when his mechanics get out of whack. Instead he often tries to work away from hitters, nibbling at the corners. Melville's stuff and excellent frame still give him the potential to develop into a solid middle-of-the- rotation starter, but he must sharpen his feel for pitching and his awareness of his delivery. He'll try to do that when he repeats high Class A in 2011.