Jay Sborz Stats & Scouting Report

IP	0
ERA	0
WHIP	0
BB/9	0
SO/9	0

Full name John Jay Sborz
Born 01/24/1985 in Washington, DC
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Langley
Debut 06/22/2010
Drafted in the 2nd round (40th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2003 (signed for $865,000).

View Draft Report

Sborz has a special arm. He throws a heavy fastball in the 93-95 mph range and maintains his velocity deep into games. His slider is another plus offering, at 79-81 with sharp movement. He has a big, strong frame at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds with wide shoulders to build on, and if he can keep his arm slot consistent Sborz could push 100 mph one day. His delivery has been violent but he refined his mechanics as the season wore on. A personal trainer has also helped Sborz get more out of his body. He still needs to develop a changeup if he wants to remain a starter, though his stuff and makeup are ideal for a closing role. There are some questions with Sborz involving off-the-field issues, but if everything falls into place his ceiling is higher than Tim Stauffer's.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Sborz won a gold medal with USA Baseball's youth team in 2001 and had a standout high school career in northern Virginia, pitching his way into the second round of the 2003 draft. Though he still hasn't reached the majors after seven pro seasons, he still has some prospect value. Though he missed much of the 2006 (shoulder), 2007 (elbow) and 2009 (oblique) seasons with injuries, the Tigers added him to their 40-man roster in November. When he's healthy, Sborz has some of the best stuff in the system. He throws a heavy fastball around 94 mph, and he can get it up to 98 at times. He also throws a hard curveball at 79-84 mph. Strictly a two-pitch guy, he has a lot of effort in his delivery, which contributes to control and health woes. He reached Double-A (and Triple-A) for the first time in 2009, and if he remains healthy he could be another power arm in the Detroit bullpen. He could earn his first big league callup this year if he performs well at Toledo.
Based solely on his arm strength and sturdy, projectable frame, Sborz projected as a possible first-round pick in 2003. The Tigers got him in the second round, because his high-effort delivery and immaturity caused clubs to back off. After signing for $865,000, Sborz has pitched erratically, with just one victory to show for 20 outings in Rookie ball. Sborz can light up a radar gun, pitching at 93-95 mph with room to throw even harder. He has an arm action conducive to a power breaking ball, and his slider shows flashes of being a plus pitch. But his throwing mechanics are flawed, affecting the quality and command of his stuff. His delivery often changes from pitch to pitch. In high school, Sborz got away with just rearing back and throwing. The Tigers are attempting to refine his mechanics, but he has struggled mightily to repeat a proper delivery. Also lacking an offspeed pitch, he may profile better as a reliever. Unless he makes a drastic and unexpected improvement in spring training, Sborz likely will begin 2005 in extended spring before going to Oneonta.
The Tigers believe they landed a first-round talent when they got Sborz with the 40th overall pick last June. He had one of the best pure arms in the draft, and it cost $865,000 to sign him away from a commitment to Arizona State. He looked raw in the Gulf Coast League but pitched better during instructional league. Sborz is a true power pitcher. He has a 93-95 mph fastball and a hard, sharp-breaking slider that often touches 80. He has a strong frame with room to grow, so there's more velocity in there. Some scouts project that he could put up triple digits on the radar gun. Sborz is a thrower, not a pitcher. He has a violent delivery and doesn't repeat his arm slot or pitches well. He struggles to throw strikes and has no semblance of a changeup. Some teams were concerned about his immaturity, but the Tigers say his behavior has been good. Sborz showed enough during instructional league to possibly earn a spot in low Class A this year. Detroit will use him as a starter to give him innings, but his explosive fastball and lack of offspeed stuff could lead to a future as a closer.

Minor League Top Prospects

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Virginia high schooler had one of the best arms in the 2003 draft. He touched 94-95 mph after signing with the Tigers for $865,000. Sborz failed to win a game in seven starts because he routinely reached his pitch count (75) before the fifth inning. "He's got an electric arm," Bushong said, "but he needs to learn to pitch and command the ball better. He rarely went deep into games because his location was poor." Sborz often had to take 4-5 mph off his fastball to get the pitch in the strike zone. He also showed sporadic command of his curve and changeup.