Jeremy Hefner Stats & Scouting Report

IP	224
ERA	4.661
WHIP	1.326
BB/9	2.21
SO/9	6.469

Full name Jeremy Scott Hefner
Born 03/11/1986 in Perkins, OK
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Oral Roberts
Debut 04/23/2012
Drafted in the 5th round (177th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2007 (signed for $129,000).

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Scouts were aware of Hefner in 2006, but he got lost in the shuffle at Seminole State (Okla.) Junior College. The pitching staff also included Drew Miller (who got $300,000 as a draft-and-follow from the Padres), Duke Welker (a likely third-round pick this June) and hard throwers John Maschino and Ryan Lindgren. Hefner went undrafted after the Mets had drafted him in the 46th round in 2004 and the 48th round in 2005. He made a jump forward this spring under the tutelage of Oral Roberts coach Rob Walton. Welker's fastball velocity has risen from 87-89 mph a year ago to 89-94, and his command of the pitch has improved as well. Walton has taught him an effective two-plane slider, and Hefner also uses a curveball and changeup. He also has size (6-foot-5, 200 pounds), athleticism and good arm action in his favor. Hefner moved from the bullpen to the rotation in March, and his stock has climbed as well. He should go in the first five rounds, perhaps higher if he performs well against tougher competition in the NCAA playoffs.

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For the third consecutive season, Hefner flew under the prospect radar as a durable starter with a firm strikeout rate and strong control. He ranked third in the Midwest League with 144 strikeouts in 2008, then fourth in the California League with 142 whiffs in '09 and fourth again last season with 115 in the Texas League. Hefner served as No. 2 starter to Simon Castro at San Antonio, while finishing first in the TL in innings (168), second in WHIP (1.23) and third in ERA (2.95). After pitching in the high 80s previously, Hefner sat more comfortably at 90-91 mph last season, throwing downhill with sinking and tailing action and topping out near 93. He works fast and moves the ball in and out, while his long limbs provide deception in his delivery. Hefner dusted off a curveball for the 2009 season, a move that paid off last season as it showed improved break and definition. He has a feel for an average changeup and controls the running game--10 of 16 basestealers (63 percent) were thrown out on his watch last season. Hefner has no true out pitch, but three average offerings and a feel for the strike zone make him ideally suited to fit in the back of a rotation. Added to the 40-man roster in November, he'll move to Triple-A in 2011.
Hefner placed third in the Midwest League in 2008 with 144 strikeouts, and the Padres were hopeful that he'd break out in the California League in 2009. Pitching in the same Lake Elsinore rotation as Cory Luebke and Wynn Pelzer, he finished third in the league with 14 wins, fourth with 142 whiffs and eighth with a 4.12 ERA. A smart pitcher, he limited damage from walks (2.3 per nine innings, the fifth-lowest rate in the Cal League) and stolen bases (just 21 attempts, of which a league-leading 62 percent were caught). Hefner doesn't overpower batters, relying instead on plus movement on his 89-92 mph sinker and an outstanding fading changeup. After losing the depth on his slider after turning pro, he resuscitated a curveball he hadn't thrown regularly since high school. It flashes plus potential, though it wasn't the strikeout pitch San Diego has hoped for. In 2010, Hefner will continue refining his feel for his curveball in Double-A. As a 24-year-old with a strong frame and fine control, he could be a big league rotation option in the second half. A future as a No. 4 or 5 starter or middle reliever awaits.
The Mets drafted Hefner out of high school (46th round, 2004) and again out of Seminole State (Okla.) JC (48th round, 2005) but failed to sign him. The Padres had more luck in 2007, signing him for $129,000 as a fifth-rounder. Obscured by teammates Drew Miller and Duke Welker (a Pirates second-rounder in 2007) at Seminole, Hefner went to Oral Roberts for his junior year and thrived. His velocity improved and he learned a two-plane slider, but scouts were more intrigued by his athleticism and arm action. He ranked third in the Midwest League with 144 strikeouts in 2008, though at 22 he was a bit old for the circuit. One Padres official described Hefner's 87-91 mph two-seam fastball as having turbo sink, and because of its movement he sometimes hesitates to throw the pitch when he needed a strike. He lost depth on his slider as a pro, but the reincarnation of his curveball has San Diego excited. He worked in instructional league to relearn the curve he threw in high school. He has a fringy changeup. Because of his sturdy frame, control and great work ethic, Hefner eventually could surface as a back-end starter. He'll head to high Class A in 2009.