Corey Black
| IP | 460 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.893 |
| WHIP | 1.378 |
| BB/9 | 4.754 |
| SO/9 | 9.372 |
- Full name Corey William Black
- Born 08/04/1991 in San Diego, CA
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 175 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Faulkner University
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Drafted in the 4th round (157th overall) by the New York Yankees in 2012 (signed for $215,000).
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Black has some surface similarities to 2004 No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush, starting with his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. He's slighter than Bush, who like Black first attracted attention at Mission Bay High in San Diego as a two-way player. Black wound up missing much of his junior season with Tommy John surgery and went to San Diego State, getting more time as a pitcher than a hitter. He pitched 121 innings in two seasons and went 4-5, 3.56 with 78 strikeouts and 42 walks in 73 innings as a sophomore, but he was taken off the Aztecs roster in the fall. He wound up showcasing himself at the Arizona Fall Classic and transferred to NAIA Faulkner so he would be eligible to pitch in 2012. Black has a quick arm and can run his fastball up to 94-96 mph at times, and he should sit there in a future bullpen role. Both his slider and changeup have their moments; his changeup developed into a reliable second pitch, with his breaking ball remaining inconsistent. Black's fastball should get him in the first five rounds despite his medical history and size.
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The Cubs acquired Black from the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano, whom New York released in 2014, ending his career. Club officials are ecstatic because while they acknowledge that Black may be a reliever, his arm is special and he could be a weapon as a setup man. Black's athleticism and four-pitch mix make starting still possible, though. He reached a career high in starts and innings at Double-A Tennessee in 2014, still pumping 92-96 mph fastballs with plus late life, earning some comparisons to a young Tim Hudson for his smallish body and life. Commanding his fastball is one of Black's biggest bugaboos and may push him to the bullpen. So could his high-adrenaline style of pitching. At times, he's his own worst enemy, mentally and in terms of throwing harder when he's in trouble. Black's straight changeup improved significantly and was one of the system's best in 2014, and he stymied lefthanders to a .157/.264/.268 clip. He throws both a curve and slider, hard of course. He has more feel for the slider and throws the curve with more depth. Black, who had Tommy John surgery in high school, saw his walk rate jump, so he could move to the bullpen as soon as 2015. He profiles as a fine setup man and perhaps a closer. -
Black was forced to transfer out of San Diego State and wound up at NAIA Faulkner (Ala.), where the Yankees drafted him in the fourth round in 2012 and signed him for $215,000. Black started his first full season at high Class A Tampa and lost six decisions in a row at one point before the Cubs acquired him in a trade for Alfonso Soriano. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said publicly he didn't want to give up Black, and the smallish but athletic righty made the Yankees regret it by beating Tampa in two of his five starts after being acquired by Daytona, running his fastball up to 96 mph in both starts, as well as in the playoffs. He also throws a curveball, changeup and slider, and his curve has made significant progress, going from a show-me pitch to a potential above-average offering. Black has a good feel for his solid-average changeup and limited lefthanders to a .164/.289/.212 line with no home runs in 173 plate appearances. His improved feel for pitching and power stuff helped him lead the Florida State League with 116 strikeouts. He's done a good job to this point of maintaining some plane on his fastball and staying tall in his delivery, essential at his height. It's easier to find scouts who believe Black has a chance to remain a starter now than it was a year ago, especially after he continued to show firm stuff in the FSL playoffs. He's headed for Double-A Tennessee in 2014. -
Black had Tommy John surgery as a high school junior in San Diego and wound up attending San Diego State. A dispute with the coaching staff prompted him to transfer to Faulkner (Ala.), an NAIA school where he could pitch immediately in 2012 rather than sit out a year. He went 11-2, 1.53 there, prompting the Yankees to draft him in the fourth round and sign him for a below-slot $215,000. He had one of the better pro debuts in New York's draft class, and Black's quick arm has impressed the Yankees' pro staff. He touched 100 mph and never dipped below 94 during instructional league. With a week of rest as an amateur, his sinking fastball sat at 95-98 at its best, and he worked around 95 in pro ball. His athleticism helps him repeat his release point and allowed him to adjust his delivery as a pro, eliminating a head whack that worried scouts. Black throws an average changeup and improved 83-85 mph slider to go with an early-count, fringy curve. Black could open his first full pro season in high Class A, and New York will keep developing him as a starter.
Draft Prospects
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Black has some surface similarities to 2004 No. 1 overall pick Matt Bush, starting with his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. He's slighter than Bush, who like Black first attracted attention at Mission Bay High in San Diego as a two-way player. Black wound up missing much of his junior season with Tommy John surgery and went to San Diego State, getting more time as a pitcher than a hitter. He pitched 121 innings in two seasons and went 4-5, 3.56 with 78 strikeouts and 42 walks in 73 innings as a sophomore, but he was taken off the Aztecs roster in the fall. He wound up showcasing himself at the Arizona Fall Classic and transferred to NAIA Faulkner so he would be eligible to pitch in 2012. Black has a quick arm and can run his fastball up to 94-96 mph at times, and he should sit there in a future bullpen role. Both his slider and changeup have their moments; his changeup developed into a reliable second pitch, with his breaking ball remaining inconsistent. Black's fastball should get him in the first five rounds despite his medical history and size.
