Ross Ohlendorf
| IP | 586 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.823 |
| WHIP | 1.437 |
| BB/9 | 3.41 |
| SO/9 | 6.819 |
- Full name Curtis Ross Ohlendorf
- Born 08/08/1982 in Austin, TX
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Princeton
- Debut 09/11/2007
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Drafted in the 4th round (116th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2004 (signed for $280,000).
View Draft Report
Princeton is building a reputation for churning out top-notch pitching prospects, and Ohlendorf is this year's candidate. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound Texan has a slow, easy delivery with a low three-quarters arm slot. His fastball tops out at 98 mph with armside sink and bore. He went 6-3, 3.66 in the regular season, with 73 strikeouts and 28 walks in 59 innings as the Tigers' No. 1 starter, but most scouts project him as a closer because his breaking pitch is only fringe average. At times he'll throw a tight slider, but it can flatten out because his arm slot varies and he doesn't stay on top of it.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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As his senior thesis at Princeton, Ohlendorf broke down the economics of baseball's draft. The key prospect in the trade that sent Randy Johnson to Arizona, Ohlendorf began his Yankees career by getting hammered as a Triple-A starter. He missed two months with back problems, but thrived once he was moved to the bullpen after returning and finished the year on the New York's playoff roster. A sinker-slider pitcher who relied on groundout as a starter, Ohlendorf became a power pitcher as a reliever. His fastball jumped at least a grade, sitting at 94 mph and topping out at 97 with excellent sink. His slider also jumped a grade, adding velocity and depth when thrown in the mid-80s. He seemed to think less and just let his pitches go more coming out of the bullpen, and that approach suits him. Lefthanders owned Ohlendorf when he was a starter because his changeup was fringy. He's added a splitter to see if that will help. His command slipped at the outset of 2007 but improved dramatically once he moved to the bullpen and hadn't been an issue in the past. Even with his improved stuff as a reliever, he still allowed a .297 opponent average in that role. Ohlendorf could be the sinkerballing setup man the Yankees haven't had since Jeff Nelson's departure as a free agent in 2000. A big league relief job is his to lose come spring training. -
Ohlendorf raised his draft profile by pitching Princeton to an NCAA regional playoff win against Virginia, but he didn't show his full potential as a pro until last season. Diamondbacks officials say he took the biggest leap forward in the organization. A big, physical presence on the mound, Ohlendorf has learned how to tone down his fastball to give him better sink and command. He now throws his power sinker anywhere from 89-94 mph. His changeup has become his second-best pitch, and his slider is average. He has developed a much better feel for pitching and now understands the importance of getting grounders and controlling his pitch count. While his secondary pitches have improved, he still needs to sharpen his slider to give him a more effective weapon against lefthanders. They hit .324 against him last season, compared with .236 for righthies. He's learning how to make in-game adjustments when things aren't going well. Arizona expected Ohlendorf's development to take time, and he has moved a little more quickly than expected. He'll open 2007 in the Triple-A rotation. -
Ohlendorf raised his status before the draft by pitching into the ninth inning against Virginia in Princeton's first regional win since 2000. Huge and intimidating on the mound, Ohlendorf rears back and fires a 94-96 mph fastball that can touch 98 and features good sink and movement. He's aggressive in his approach and not afraid to pitch inside. Ohlendorf's secondary offerings are both well behind his heater. His slider lacks break and his change lacks deception, while his command is spotty. Highly intelligent, Ohlendorf can be his own worst enemy, analyzing everything he does on the mound and tinkering too often with his delivery, which is already violent. The Diamondbacks see Ohlendorf as a high risk/high reward pitcher who will take time to develop. His lack of a full arsenal leaves him most likely ending up as a power reliever, but he for the immediate future, he needs innings to develop. Ohlendorf will begin the year in the low Class A rotation.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Ohlendorf's prospect status is more similar to that of a player drafted out of high school, not Princeton: He has a strong, sturdy pitcher's frame, a low-90s fastball and a hard curveball that rates as a plus pitch at times. He needs to refine a sometimes violent delivery and improve his changeup and overall command. Even if he doesn't develop the change, Ohlendorf could still emerge as a power relief arm. "He has good sink and movement on his fastball, and uses his curveball well," Plummer said. "He improved each time out. He's still a little rough around the edges and isn't polished mechanically." Ohlendorf's final three starts were a microcosm of his strengths and weaknesses. He threw seven shutout innings one night, walked six batters in four innings the next start and then finished his season with 11 strikeouts and just one walk over six innings.
