Bobby Brownlie Stats & Scouting Report

IP	659
ERA	4.288
WHIP	1.341
BB/9	3.032
SO/9	6.801

Full name Robert Michael Brownlie
Born 10/05/1980 in Edison, NJ
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Rutgers
Drafted in the 1st round (21st overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2002 (signed for $2,500,000).

View Draft Report

Brownlie entered the year with great expectations. He was coming off solid seasons as a freshman (10-1, 2.55) and sophomore (6-3, 2.36), and he dominated last summer with Team USA (7-0, 0.84) as few elite college pitchers had. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound righthander started out throwing his customary 94-97 mph fastball with great command. Then he worked in unusually cold weather in his fourth start of the year and developed biceps tendinitis. His stuff was not vintage Brownlie after that. His velocity slipped to 88-93, his arm was too tender to throw his curveball and he even missed a couple of starts. Scouts were perplexed when he made a late-season start against Notre Dame and didn't strike out anyone in 6 2/3 innings. Concerns about a tender arm became concerns about an injured arm, and it was left for teams at the top of the draft to make a call on Brownlie's status. Throughout the hype and the consternation over his injury, Brownlie handled all the pressure with poise. He continued to pitch effectively, leading the Big East Conference with a 2.58 ERA. Even when not at 100 percent, he got the most out of his ability and his command never wavered. Healthy, he has the ability to anchor a lot of major league pitching staffs, but his injury and agent (Scott Boras) may cause him to slide in the draft.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Bobby Brownlie who dominated college hitters and starred for Team USA in 2000-01 has yet to show up in pro ball, and it's increasingly unlikely that he will. Brownlie was an early favorite to go No. 1 overall in the 2002 draft, but he came down with biceps tendinitis that spring and slid to the Cubs at No. 21. He didn't sign until the following March, and after agreeing to a $2.5 million bonus he came down with a sore shoulder midway through his pro debut. Brownlie hasn't had any more health issues since, but his stuff is a far cry from what it once was. He operated with a 92-94 mph fastball and a plus-plus curveball before the biceps tendinitis, but he opened 2005 working at 86-87 mph. He got hammered as a starter and moved to the bullpen, where his fastball rose to 88-89 mph and topped out at 91 mph. When Brownlie returned to the Triple-A Iowa rotation in August, he got shellacked again, so his future appears to be in relief. His curveball is still good though not what it once was, and his changeup may now be his best pitch. He has survived as a pro by improving his command, though he tended to nibble and fall behind in counts as a Triple- A starter. He's destined for another year in Iowa.
After his first two years at Rutgers and strong summers in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA, Brownlie was the frontrunner to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2002 draft. Biceps tendinitis as a junior and his selection of Scott Boras as an adviser caused him to slide, however. Following the third-longest holdout in draft history, Brownlie signed the following March for $2.5 million. Though he has had consistent success and reached Double-A, Chicago still hasn't seen the overpowering stuff he showed as a college sophomore. He had a 92-94 mph fastball that touched 97 then, but now he works at 88-90 mph. His curveball still is his signature pitch, but it's not the knee-buckler it once was. He has recovered from the tendinitis and shoulder soreness he had in 2003, so his health isn't the reason. Brownlie has compensated by becoming a more polished pitcher. He has developed an effective changeup, learned to locate his fastball to both sides of the plate and possesses the best overall command in the system. After some time in Triple-A, Brownlie will be able to help the Cubs in the back half of their rotation. If he regains the outstanding stuff he once had to go with his increased pitchability, he could be a frontline starter.
Once considered the top prospect in the 2002 draft, Brownlie came down with biceps tendinitis in his junior season and fell to the 21st pick. He didn't sign until March 2003, receiving $2.5 million. Because he worked hard to get into pitching shape during the offseason so he could pitch for the Cubs in January, he ran out of gas in early July, when he was shut down with a sore shoulder and tired arm. Brownlie has always dazzled scouts with his 12-to-6 curveball, and it's the best breaking pitch in the system. He also has a low-90s fastball that touched 97 mph when he was in college. He augments his stuff with good command and feel for pitching. Brownlie's changeup lags behind his fastball and curve but should be an effective pitch in time. The Cubs aren't too concerned about his health. An MRI showed no structural damage in his shoulder and he was back to 100 percent in instructional league. Chicago officials say he'll be fine now that he's on a baseball schedule. Brownlie was pushing for a promotion to Double-A when he wore down, and he'll get one to start 2004. If all goes well, he could reach Wrigley Field in September.

Minor League Top Prospects

Like Blasko, Brownlie was a Cubs 2002 first-rounder whose debut was delayed by negotiations. Considered one of his draft class' top prospects before coming down with biceps tendinitis, he signed for $2.5 million in March and joined Daytona in late April after building up his arm strength in extended spring training. Brownlie allowed no more than one earned run in eight of his first 11 pro outings, thanks to a low-90s fastball and sharp 12-to-6 curveball. He flashed a good changeup, though his command was spotty. After getting hit hard in his next two starts, Brownlie was shut down for the year with shoulder soreness. "When he's got everything going, he's overpowering," Kranitz said. "When you have command of three pitches and you have the ability to make a pitch, and then you add the makeup he has, you end up with a pretty good pitcher."