Alex Hart Stats & Scouting Report

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Drafted by the Orioles in the second round out of high school in 1998, Hart didn't sign and later blew out his elbow at Florida. Tommy John surgery cost him most of 2000 and he struggled as a redshirt sophomore in 2001. Armed with a new cut fastball, he blossomed last year, going 13-3 for the Gators and winning his first seven pro decisions while finishing third in the New York-Penn League in ERA. He tied up NY-P hitters with his slow, big-breaking curveball and improved his changeup, making his average fastball look better. Hart is lauded for his makeup and doesn't rattle in tight situations. He has lost some zip off his fastball since having surgery. It usually tops out around 90 mph. He tends to get under his curveball at times, and he must stay on top of it to get the 12-to-6 movement necessary for it to be a dominant pitch. Hart has an advanced knowledge of pitching and could move quickly. He'll begin this season in low Class A but should be knocking on the door to the majors sometime in 2005.

Hart went to the University of Florida with high expectations after turning down the Orioles as a second-round pick in 1998. His first three years were destroyed by injuries–he needed Tommy John surgery–and he entered this spring with a 6-9, 6.94 record. He was able to turn things around by refining his mechanics and adding a cut fastball in January. "He has a real high ceiling," Pirates roving pitching instructor Gary Ruby said. "He has a good body and a good live fastball up to 92 mph, but there's more in there. He throws downhill and has savvy on the mound." Hart also throws a tight-breaking curve. But after he became dependent upon his cutter with the Gators, not everyone is convinced his secondary pitches are enough. "If he didn't have his cutter, he was hittable," one manager said. "He needs better fastball command to not rely so much on the cutter."