Wynn Pelzer

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #28 prospect in 2012
  The Orioles got Pelzer from the Padres in a July 2010 deadline trade for Miguel Tejada, a deal that has done little for either side. Pelzer has floundered as a starter and reliever the last two years, and Baltimore declined to protect him on its 40-man roster for the second straight offseason. Pelzer has a good sinker/slider combination, which theoretically would make him at least a useful reliever. His fastball ranges from 87-93 mph and has been clocked as high as 97 in the past. His slider has shown flashes of becoming a plus pitch, though both offerings have slipped a little since the trade. His control has regressed, too. Pelzer never has had a consistently reliable curveball or changeup, so his future probably will be as a reliever. He had a 2.81 ERA in that role last season, compared to 5.09 as a starter. Perhaps Baltimore's new leadership will give Pelzer a longer look, though he'll probably have to sustain some Triple-A success before earning a big league shot.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #6 prospect in 2011
  Miguel Tejada certainly didn't figure into the Orioles' future, and they got a solid return for him at the trade deadline by sending him to the Padres for Pelzer. Pelzer had spent his pro career as a starter until San Diego moved him to the bullpen two weeks before the deal. He continued in that role at Bowie. Pelzer offers a potent fastball/slider combination, but he never dominated as a starter because he couldn't find a consistent third pitch and his delivery didn't allow him to establish reliable command. He throws both two-seam and four-seam fastballs, sitting at 91-94 mph and touching 97 with good life. His slider is at least major league average and shows flashes of becoming a true plus pitch. He has used both a changeup and splitter but never has embraced either. His delivery can get out of sync, causing him to miss up in the strike zone. The Orioles are still open to trying Pelzer as a starter, but focusing on his two best pitches will give him the opportunity to pitch at the back of a bullpen. While his landing spot out of spring training will depend on his performance as well as his role, he should reach Triple-A at some point during 2011.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #7 prospect in 2010
  Pelzer earned a $190,000 bonus as a ninth-round pick in 2007 despite having a kneecap broken by a line drive in the Cape Cod League after the draft. He has established his credentials as a power pitching prospect, ranking second in the California League in strikeouts (147 in 151 innings) and fourth in opponent average (.244) last season. A strong athlete with a quick arm, Pelzer pounds the zone with a heavy 93-95 mph fastball that touches 97 in short stints. He maintains his velocity deep into games, meaning that opposing batters geared to hit his fastball have insufficient time to react to his secondary stuff. They can look downright foolish waving at his hard slider. His tenacity serves him well on the mound. Pelzer's changeup lags behind his other offerings, in part because he eschewed the pitch in college in favor of a high-80s splitter. He'll dust off the splitter occasionally to give lefties a different look. He falls out of rhythm in his delivery at times, with the rest of his body struggling to catch up to his quick arm, affecting his command. Pelzer's stuff would play up in a relief role, and it's not hard to imagine him as a closer, challenging hitters with his fastball and slider. He has worked hard at being a starter after mostly relieving in college, and the Padres have no plans to change his role in Double-A in 2010.
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  Ranked San Diego Padres #16 prospect in 2009
  Pelzer pitched almost exclusively in relief as a junior at South Carolina, and his lack of exposure, 5.22 ERA and choice of agents (Scott Boras) contributed to him dropping to the ninth round of the 2007 draft. He headed to the Cape Cod League after being drafted in an effort to boost his stock, but a line drive broke his kneecap in his third start. He signed with San Diego at the Aug. 15 deadline for $190,000. Pelzer has just one speed: all-out. Illustrating his bulldog mentality, he took a line drive off the head in a May game but returned five days later to throw three strong innings of relief. His fastball sits at 93 mph and touches 95, and his hard slider flashes plus potential. A solid athlete, he has tremendous presence and tempo on the mound and isn't afraid to pitch inside. He holds his velocity late into starts. While Pelzer can intimidate the opposition with his aggressiveness, he has below-average control and lacks a feel for his craft. He has had little success with a changeup after throwing a splitter in college. He gets in trouble when he falls behind and leaves his pitches up in the zone. The Padres held him back from instructional league in 2008 because he had thrown a career-high 118 innings. Pelzer is ready for high Class A, and while he'll continue to start for now, he probably will go back to being a power reliever in the future.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Texas League #19 prospect in 2010
  Pelzer had one of the TL's more electric but erratic arms. The Padres already had moved him from the rotation to the bullpen at San Antonio before sending him the Orioles in a deadline deal for Miguel Tejada. Pelzer's fastball ranges from 91-94 mph with good movement. His two-seam fastball tails and his four-seamer cuts. He also uses a solid slider against righthanders and a good splitter against lefties. Pelzer struggled as a starter because of an upright delivery that makes his command come and go and causes him to leave his pitches up in the zone too often. He's more effective as a reliever, and Baltimore kept him in that role after the trade.
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  Ranked California League #8 prospect in 2009
  After an up-and-down college career when he worked both in relief and as a starter, Pelzer has had consistent success in two years as a pro. Scouts still are mixed on whether that will be his long-term role, but they all agree that his stuff can be electric. Pelzer pounds the strike zone with a heavy 93-95 mph fastball and backs it up with a hard slider that's a potential plus pitch. He also throw a splitter and a mid-70s changeup. He gets lots of strikeouts and groundouts, though he falls behind in the count too often. "He a plus sinker and slider but he'll need to develop his change more," a scout said. "For him, it's a matter of command. He can be a second or third starter, or a back-of-the-bullpen guy."

• December, 2008 Scouting Report
  Pelzer pitched almost exclusively in relief as a junior at South Carolina, and his lack of exposure, 5.22 ERA and choice of agents (Scott Boras) contributed to him dropping to the ninth round of the 2007 draft. He headed to the Cape Cod League after being drafted in an effort to boost his stock, but a line drive broke his kneecap in his third start. He signed with San Diego at the Aug. 15 deadline for $190,000. Pelzer has just one speed: all-out. Illustrating his bulldog mentality, he took a line drive off the head in a May game but returned five days later to throw three strong innings of relief. His fastball sits at 93 mph and touches 95, and his hard slider flashes plus potential. A solid athlete, he has tremendous presence and tempo on the mound and isn't afraid to pitch inside. He holds his velocity late into starts. While Pelzer can intimidate the opposition with his aggressiveness, he has below-average control and lacks a feel for his craft. He has had little success with a changeup after throwing a splitter in college. He gets in trouble when he falls behind and leaves his pitches up in the zone. The Padres held him back from instructional league in 2008 because he had thrown a career-high 118 innings. Pelzer is ready for high Class A, and while he'll continue to start for now, he probably will go back to being a power reliever in the future.