Tommy Milone

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #13 prospect in 2012
  Like Steve Lombardozzi, Milone lacks standout physical tools but proved himself at every level and forced his way to the big leagues by the end of 2011. He carved up the Triple-A International League to rank second with 155 strikeouts and first in walks per nine innings (1.0) and K-BB ratio (9.7). Those last two figures illustrates his greatest strength: superb control and command. Milone's below-average fastball ranges from 86-91 mph, but it plays up because of the deception in his herky-jerky delivery and his ability to spot it wherever he wants. His above-average changeup is his out pitch against lefties and righties alike thanks to his excellent arm speed, good sink and tailing action. He throws his fringy curveball at varying depths and speeds, using it for a chase pitch or an early strike. He also mixes in a solid cutter. Milone has outstanding poise and the ability to make adjustments on the fly. He fields his position well and handles the bat adeptly for a pitcher. Milone's ceiling is limited to that of a back-end big league starter, but he held his own in five big league starts and will compete for a rotation job in the spring training.
• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #16 prospect in 2011
  Milone spent three seasons in Southern California's starting rotation, learning to keep the ball down as he progressed. As a result, he cut his home run total from 16 as a freshman to eight as a sophomore to four as a junior in 2008, when the Nationals signed him for $65,000 as a 10th-round pick. He lacks overpowering stuff and has had to prove himself at every level, but he has done just that, putting himself on the prospect map. Milone's below-average fastball sits at 85-87 and maxes out at 90, but it plays up because of his deception and command. He has a slow, funky delivery that disrupts batters' timing, and his ball seems to jump on them. He throws his above-average changeup, average cutter and fringy curveball with exactly the same delivery and arm action as his fastball, and he keeps opponents off balance by mixing speeds and locations. Perhaps Milone's greatest strength is his ability to read hitters and expose their weaknesses. He also excels at fielding his position and holding runners--he allowed just four steals in 10 attempts last year--and he handles the bat well for a pitcher. Milone lacks upside, but he has a good shot to be a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues, perhaps as soon as 2011. He'll start the season in Triple-A.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Milone lacks standout physical tools , but he has proven himself at every level and forced his way to the big leagues by the end of 2011. The former 10th-round pick carved up the Triple-A International League, ranking second with 155 strikeouts and first in walks per nine innings (1.0). The A's picked him up as part of the package from the Nationals for Gio Gonzalez in December.Scouting Report: Milone's greatest strength is his superb control and command. His fastball ranges from 86-91 mph, but it plays up because of the deception in his herky-jerky delivery and his ability to spot it wherever he wants. His above-average changeup is his out pitch against lefties and righties alike thanks to his excellent arm speed, good sink and tailing action. He throws his fringy curveball at varying depths and speeds, using it for a chase pitch or an early strike. He also mixes in a solid cutter. Milone has outstanding poise and the ability to make adjustments on the fly. He fields his position well. The Future: Milone's ceiling is limited to that of a back-of-the-rotation big league starter, but he held his own in five big league starts with Washington. He'll get the opportunity to win a spot in Oakland's rotation during spring training.
• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  Milone spent three seasons in Southern California's starting rotation, learning to keep the ball down as he progressed. As a result, he cut his home run total from 16 as a freshman to eight as a sophomore to four as a junior in 2008, when the Nationals signed him for $65,000 as a 10th-round pick. He lacks overpowering stuff and has had to prove himself at every level, but he has done just that, putting himself on the prospect map. Milone's below-average fastball sits at 85-87 and maxes out at 90, but it plays up because of his deception and command. He has a slow, funky delivery that disrupts batters' timing, and his ball seems to jump on them. He throws his above-average changeup, average cutter and fringy curveball with exactly the same delivery and arm action as his fastball, and he keeps opponents off balance by mixing speeds and locations. Perhaps Milone's greatest strength is his ability to read hitters and expose their weaknesses. He also excels at fielding his position and holding runners--he allowed just four steals in 10 attempts last year--and he handles the bat well for a pitcher. Milone lacks upside, but he has a good shot to be a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues, perhaps as soon as 2011. He'll start the season in Triple-A.