Paul Maholm Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1556
ERA	4.303
WHIP	1.405
BB/9	2.95
SO/9	5.692

Full name Paul Gurner Maholm
Born 06/25/1982 in Greenwood, MS
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 245 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Mississippi State
Debut 08/30/2005
Drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003 (signed for $2,200,000).

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Of the state's seven pitchers expected to go in the first five rounds, Maholm has the lowest peak velocity at 92 mph. He'll still be the first one chosen because he's a lefthander with command of four solid-average or better offerings. He draws comparisons to Joe Saunders, the No. 12 pick by the Angels a year ago, and Eric Milton, though he has better breaking stuff than Milton. Maholm usually works at 88-90 mph and isn't afraid to pitch inside. His changeup is his second-best pitch, and he also has a slider he uses to put hitters away and a curveball he employs to get ahead in the count. He's a pure pitcher who's consistent from start to start. He has a durable build (6-foot-2, 214 pounds) and has been Mississippi State's best starter since arriving in Starkville three years ago. It's unlikely that Maholm will go any lower than No. 13 to the Blue Jays.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Maholm's 2004 season was cut short when a line drive struck him in the left eye in mid May while he was in high Class A, and his 2005 was eventful as well. An outstanding spring training led to him beginning the season in Double-A. After a trip to the Futures Game and a stopover in Triple-A, Maholm landed in Pittsburgh. Off the field, his mother died of colon cancer and his new house in Holly Springs, Miss., narrowly missed being heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Maholm has outstanding mound presence and very good command of three pitches that can be above average at times. He runs his 88-91 mph fastball in on righthanders. He also has a good curveball and a slider that's improving. Righthanders hit .265 against Maholm--compared to .173 by lefties-- in part because the quality of his changeup fluctuates. He's not overpowering, so he doesn't have much margin for error. Maholm showed he's ready to be a major league starter, but the Pirates' depth might force him back to Triple-A to start 2006.
Maholm signed for $2.2 million as the eighth pick in the 2003 draft. His first full season was ruined May 15, when a line drive hit him in the face, breaking his nose and the orbital bone around his left eye. He returned in August but needed more surgery to remove scar tissue, knocking him out of instructional league and the Arizona Fall League. Maholm has a good feel for pitching and a strong mound presence. He also has good control of four pitches: an 88 mph fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. The curveball and changeup are his best pitches at this point. He doesn't have an overpowering pitch, so Maholm won't have much margin for error against advanced hitters. It's uncertain whether he'll have any long-term effects from getting hit in the face, but the Pirates are confident he will put the incident behind him. Maholm will start the season in high Class A but will move quickly to Double-A Altoona if he pitches well. He has a chance to get to Pittsburgh by late 2006 and should be a No. 3-5 starter.
A 17th-round pick by the Twins out of high school in 2000, Maholm opted to attend Mississippi State. That proved to be a wise move as he went eighth overall in 2003. As with Bullington, McClatchy's desire for safer college talent played a role in Pittsburgh's decision. Maholm has an advanced feel for pitching as he changes speeds well, moves the ball around in the strike zone and does the little things like hold runners and field his position. Both his curveball and changeup are above-average pitches. His fastball rarely tops 90 mph and sits at 88 but is effective because of Maholm's ability to locate it. Maholm's lack of pure stuff did not hurt him in the short-season New York-Penn League, but it remains to be seen how he'll fare against higher-caliber hitters. He also needs to tighten his slider, though the Pirates may ask him to concentrate on his curve. Because Maholm faced strong competition in college, the Pirates are likely to challenge him and send him to high Class A in 2004. Maholm figures to be a middle-of-the-rotation starter in the majors, perhaps as early as 2006.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Pirates received a significant boost from a pair of lefthanded pitching prospects in 2005. When Zach Duke sprained his left ankle, Pittsburgh promoted Maholm to the majors. He matched Duke's start by allowing just four runs in his first 21 big league innings. Maholm and Duke have similar pitching styles as well, though Duke has more zip on his fastball. Maholm's heater sits in the high 80s, but it has good sink and he keeps it down in the zone. He has a plus curveball, a tight slider and a good changeup he'll throw in any count. Maholm missed much of 2004 when he was struck in the face by a line drive. After his bounce-back season, he could open next season in the back of Pittsburgh's rotation.
Maholm went eighth overall to the Pirates because he's a polished lefthander who should rocket through the minors. He doesn't have an overpowering pitch, but he has good command and feel of four average offerings. Maholm throws with a balanced delivery and easy arm action, generating an 88-91 mph fastball with late life and sink. He could add velocity because he stands straight up in his delivery and doesn't use his legs enough. Some scouts said his 68-74 mph curveball is his best pitch. It has late break and tight rotation. He also throws a slider and changeup. "His change is outstanding, and has really good movement and sink," Stewart said. "He throws it to lefthanders as well as righthanders, which is something you don't see very often."