Stephen Obenchain
| IP | 358 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.123 |
| WHIP | 1.464 |
| BB/9 | 3.193 |
| SO/9 | 6.36 |
- Full name Stephen Hardin Obenchain
- Born 07/29/1981 in South Bend, IN
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Evansville
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Drafted in the 1st round (37th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2002 (signed for $750,000).
View Draft Report
RHP Steve Obenchain is compared to former Evansville righthanders Andy Benes and Preston Larrison for his size and stuff. His fastball ranges between 89-91 mph, and his plus changeup is the key to his success. Obenchain has been used primarily out of the pen this season out of need and because he has a resilient arm, but scouts think he will make it as a starter. He led the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1.50 ERA, 11 saves and 10.13 strikeouts per nine innings.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Obenchain wasn't drafted out of Evansville's Memorial High, the same school that produced Don Mattingly. He stayed home to attend college at Evansville, where he was used primarily as a reliever and led the Missouri Valley Conference with a 1.38 ERA and 12 saves in 2002. The A's immediately made him a starter because of his variety of pitches. His plus changeup is his top pitch, though he's still learning to use it more often in his new role. Obenchain also throws an average fastball and a decent curveball. He's also working on a modified sinker that's still under construction. With four pitches, the A's want to see him start for a full season, possibly at their new low Class A Kane County affiliate, before determining his long-term role. If he returns to relieving, his resilient arm and ability to enter games and immediately throw strikes are huge assets.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Like Fritz, Obenchain was adjusting to a new role in pro ball. Used primarily as a reliever in college, where he followed in the Evansville power-pitching tradition established by Andy Benes and Tigers farmhand Preston Larrison, Obenchain started in 10 of his 11 appearances with the Canadians. The A's eased him into the role, allowing him to pitch five innings just twice. Obenchain still is learning how to use his pitches. He gets a good angle to the plate on his 89-92 mph fastball and locates it well. His curveball is an average pitch and he had the best changeup on a Vancouver staff featuring soft-tossing specialists such as Andy Dickinson and Shawn Kohn. "He didn't have to use it much as a reliever, but his changeup is the reason we think he can be pretty good as a starter," Franchuk said. "It's such a good pitch, he needs to use it more, and it will get better."
