Chris Archer

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #2 prospect in 2013
  After signing with the Indians for $161,000 as a fifth-round pick in 2006, Archer struggled in his first three pro seasons and never advanced beyond low Class A. He began to blossom after the Cubs acquired him in a trade for veteran infielder Mark DeRosa in 2008, then was traded again, this time to the Rays in an eight-player deal for Matt Garza in January 2011. Inconsistent in his first year in the Tampa Bay system, Archer led Rays farmhands and the Triple-A International League in strikeouts (139) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.8) in 2012. He also made his major league debut in June when Jeremy Hellickson went on the disabled list. During a September callup, he fanned 11 and yielded just two runs on four hits in seven innings against the Rangers and beat the Red Sox for his first big league win. Archer throws two well above-average pitches with his quick arm and easy delivery. His fastball sits at 92-96 mph, has been clocked as high as 98 and features good run and sink. His success in the second half of the season coincided with his willingness to pitch aggressively off his fastball, which allowed him to get ahead in the count more often. In turn, that helped him do a better job of setting up his slider, his most consistent and best all-around pitch. His slider operates in the mid-90s with hard, cutting tilt and impressive depth. He has improved his changeup over the past two seasons, but it's average at best and he just uses it as a show-me pitch to keep hitters off balance. Archer's mechanics are fine, which leaves most observers to believe his command issues result from his inconsistent focus and mental approach. He moves well off the mound but is prone to making errors and must do a better job of controlling the running game. His inability to throw consistent strikes leads some scouts to suggest that Archer could wind up in the bullpen, perhaps even as a closer. But the progress he made after the all-star break showed that he has the ability to be a No. 2 or 3 starter, particularly if he can trust his changeup more against major league hitters. He's a good bet to earn a spot on Tampa Bay's 25-man roster in 2013.
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  Ranked Tampa Bay Rays #3 prospect in 2012
  Archer struggled for three years in the Indians system before joining the Cubs in a trade for Mark DeRosa in December 2008. By the time he was included in the Matt Garza trade last January, Archer ranked as Chicago's No. 1 prospect. Despite an uneven showing in his first season in the Rays system, he recorded a 3.25 ERA over the final three months. Archer has impressive size and a quick arm that generates a power fastball/slider combo. His heater resides at 90-95 mph and touches 97 with run and sink. He falls in love with his plus-plus slider, an 86-88 mph offering with incredible tilt and good depth. He'll need to improve his below-average changeup in order to remain a starter. He struggles at times to repeat his delivery, which leads to control issues. He led the Double-A Southern League with 18 wild pitches and ranked third with 80 walks in 2011. Archer has the stuff to challenge hitters and succeed in the front half of a major league rotation. He also would have what it takes to become a closer. He'll open 2012 in Durham and should make his big league debut at some point during the year.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #1 prospect in 2011
  Archer was an afterthought in the class of 2006 high school pitching prospects until he earned a last-minute invitation to the East Coast Professional Showcase the summer before his senior year. He showed a high-80s fastball and an athletic, projectable frame, piquing scouts' interest, then displayed a low-90s heater and sharp slider the following spring. The Indians selected him in the fifth round and signed him away from a Miami commitment for $161,000. Archer struggled in his first few seasons, but he hasn't looked nearly as raw since coming to the Cubs along with relief prospects John Gaub and Jeff Stevens in the Mark DeRosa trade in December 2008. Archer made progress while repeating low Class A in 2009 and then took off last season, when he was Chicago's minor league pitcher of the year and led the system in wins (15), ERA (2.34) and strikeouts (149). Promoted to Double-A in July, he didn't allow an earned run in his first 311⁄3 innings at Tennessee. He continued to star after the season, striking out 10 in six scoreless innings against Cuba in the Pan American Games qualifying tournament in October. He was a no-brainer addition to Chicago's 40-man roster a month later. Now that Andrew Cashner has graduated to the big leagues, Archer has the best fastball and slider in the system. He operates from 92-95 mph and touches 97, and though he has an over-thetop delivery, his fastball has some run and sink to it. His slider sits in the mid-80s and peaks at 91 mph, giving him two plus-plus pitches when his command is at its best. His changeup has improved markedly since the trade, and while he throws it a bit hard at times, it should give him an effective third pitch. The Cubs love the way he competes, reaching back for extra velocity when he needs it and demonstrating an ability to win on days when he doesn't have his best stuff. Archer is athletic and has a fluid delivery, and all he has left to do is improve his consistency and command. Though he has cut his walk rate the last three years, he still gives up too many free passes. He works up in the strike zone too often, and his high arm slot doesn't afford him much deception, but his stuff is so good that he has surrendered just six homers in 251 innings as a Chicago farmhand. Archer draws some Edwin Jackson comparisons, with scouts noting that Archer has better secondary pitches at the same age. He's ready for Triple-A Iowa at age 22 and not far off from the majors, especially if the Cubs wanted to promote him as a reliever like they did with Cashner last year. If Archer continues to progress as he has the last two years, he'll arrive in Wrigley Field around midseason. He projects as a frontline starter if he refines his command, and he easily has the stuff and poise to become a closer.
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  Ranked Chicago Cubs #15 prospect in 2010
  Archer went just 5-18, 5.13 in three seasons in the Indians system but turned a corner after coming to the Cubs in the Mark DeRosa trade. He went 6-4, 2.81 in low Class A and didn't allow a homer in 109 innings. Archer turns bats into kindling with a 91-93 mph fastball and a hard breaking ball. His heater tops out at 96 mph, and while it can get straight because he uses an over-the-top delivery, it has some sink and armside run. His curve becomes slurvy at times, but it's a plus pitch when he commands it. It remains to be seen whether Archer will be a starter or reliever. To remain in the rotation, he'll need to improve his control and command and commit to using his changeup more often. He shies away from pitching to contact, and he has the stuff to challenge hitters more often without getting hit. He has an easy delivery without any obvious flaws, yet he has repeated trouble throwing strikes. Archer will seek more consistency in high Class A this season.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #4 prospect in 2013
  Archer?s fastball-slider combo is lethal, and he?s made dramatic improvement to his control since joining the Rays organization in the Matt Garza deal with the Cubs in January 2011. Following an early-June promotion to Tampa Bay, Archer once again cut his walk rate, this time to well below three per nine innings. He went 4-0, 0.73 in five starts during July to win the American League?s pitcher and rookie of the month awards. Archer?s fastball sits 93-96 mph and has plus movement, but his mid-80s slider remains his No. 1 pitch. He continued to throw more changeups and two-seamers to help round out his repertoire, and talk of a probable shift to the bullpen has abated. ?He?s an example of guy who at any moment the light can turn on,? Montoyo said. ?He waited for his chance and didn?t complain when he didn?t make (the majors) out of spring training. Now he?s pitching better (in Tampa Bay) than he did here.?
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  Ranked International League #3 prospect in 2012
  Archer got off to a rough start as some of his control troubles from 2011 carried over into this season. He settled in after some minor adjustments by Durham pitching coach Neil Allen and finished strong, posting a 1.86 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in his last 39 innings. He led the IL in strikeouts (139) and whiffs per nine innings (9.8) and pitched well in September for the Rays. Archer has a loose, live arm with two pitches that earn 60 or better grades on the 20-80 scouting scale, starting with a fastball that sits at 92-96 mph and touches 98. He pitched more aggressively off his fastball later in the year, which allowed him to get ahead in the count and set up his plus slider. He has gained a bit of confidence in his changeup, but it remains fringy. Imprecise command remains an issue for Archer, which observers attribute more to inconsistent focus than significant mechanical issues. If he can throw more strikes and refine his changeup, he can be a No. 3 starter. If not, he'll fit as a late-inning reliever.
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  Ranked Southern League #11 prospect in 2011
  Archer and shortstop Hak-Ju Lee were the central pieces in the trade that sent Matt Garza from the Rays to the Cubs last offseason. Instead of building on a breakout 2010 season, Archer struggled to find the strike zone and finished third in the Southern League with 80 walks, though he pitched well in two September starts for Triple-A Durham. Despite his struggles, Archer still has very good stuff. Big and athletic with a quick arm, he has a fastball that sits at 90-95 mph and tops out at 97. His best pitch is a plus-plus slider, a true out pitch with good tilt and depth in the mid- to high 80s. As good as his slider is, he leans on it too heavily and his overuse of it has become predictable for hitters. He employs his slider as a chase pitch early in the count and tries to trick hitters, avoiding contact rather than attacking more aggressively in the strike zone with his fastball. Because he works behind in the count so often, he doesn't use his changeup much, and it's a below-average pitch right now. With a hard fastball/slider combination, Archer could slow down hitters' bats with a more reliable changeup. If he can throw more strikes and pitch off his fastball, he could be a frontline starter. If not, he still has the repertoire to be a top arm out of the bullpen, where his fastball would play up even more.
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  Ranked Southern League #9 prospect in 2010
  Since coming over as part of the three-player package for Mark DeRosa last December, Archer has established himself as Chicago's top pitching prospect. Archer's fastball sits in the low to mid-90s, and he achieves average life and command from an over-the-top delivery. His slider lacks consistency at times, but it usually ranges from an average to a plus-plus pitch. His changeup also has its moments. Archer is very athletic and has a fluid, repeatable delivery. Nevertheless, his control can get spotty and he struggled to pitch to contact at times with the Smokies. He has enough stuff to possibly become a closer if he can't add the polish to become a big league starter.
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  Ranked Florida State League #2 prospect in 2010
  Archer was a pretty intriguing prospect in 2009, when he showed a 91-93 mph fastball and a hard breaking ball. When his stuff took a big step forward this year, he became a dominating pitcher. He went 15-3, 2.34 between Daytona and Double-A Tennessee, with his fastball running up to 97, his slider becoming a second plus pitch and his changeup showing promise. Archer's control and command have improved, but they're still not where he needs to be. He gives up too many walks and misses within the strike zone too often. His changeup has good sink and enough separation in velocity from his fastball, but it lacks consistency.
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  Ranked Midwest League #16 prospect in 2009
  While the Cubs may regret trading Mark DeRosa in the offseason, they're not sorry that Archer was one of the three pitchers they acquired in return. After going 5-18, 5.13 in three seasons in the Indians organization, he started to make real progress this year. Archer breaks bats with a 91-93 mph fastball that tops out at 95. His heater can get straight because he has an over-the-top delivery, but it flashes some sink and armside run. He throws both a curveball and a slider, which can be above-average pitches when he throws them for strikes. He didn't allow a single homer in 109 innings. He's reluctant to use his changeup or pitch to contact, so Archer could wind up in the bullpen. There are no glaring flaws in his easy delivery, but he goes through stretches where he struggles to find the strike zone.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #36 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #89 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #27 prospect in 2011

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: After signing with the Indians for $161,000 as a fifth-round pick in 2006, Archer struggled in his first three pro seasons and never advanced beyond low Class A. He began to blossom after the Cubs acquired him in a trade for veteran infielder Mark DeRosa in 2008, ranking as Chicago's top prospect and being named the organization's minor league pitcher of the year following the 2010 season before going to the Rays in an eight-player deal for Matt Garza in January 2011. Inconsistent in his first year in the Tampa Bay system, Archer led Rays farmhands and the Triple-A International League in strikeouts (139) and strikeouts per nine innings (9.8) in 2012. He also made his major league debut in June when Jeremy Hellickson went on the disabled list. Archer struck out seven and allowed just one earned run in six innings while taking a loss against Stephen Strasburg and the Nationals in his first outing. An oblique injury caused Archer to miss two weeks in July after he returned to the minors, but he bounced back afterward to post a 1.79 ERA with a 41-12 strikeout-to-walk ration in his final nine starts with the Bulls. During a September callup, he fanned 11 and yielded just two runs on four hits in seven innings against the Rangers and beat the Red Sox for his first big league win. Scouting Report: Archer throws two well above-average pitches with his quick arm and easy delivery. His fastball sits at 92-96 mph, has been clocked as high as 98 and features good run and sink. His success in the second half of the season coincided with his willingness to pitch aggressively off his fastball, which allowed him to get ahead in the count more often. In turn, that helped him do a better job of setting up his slider, his most consistent and best all-around pitch. His slider operates in the mid-90s with hard, cutting tilt and impressive depth. He has improved his changeup over the past two seasons, but it's average at best and he just uses it as a show-me pitch to keep hitters off balance. Control problems have plagued Archer throughout his career, as he has averaged 5.1 walks per nine innings in the minors. His mechanics are fine, which leaves most observers to believe his command issues result from his inconsistent focus and mental approach. When he got on his second-half roll at Durham, he walked just 12 in 45 innings, but then he issued 11 free passes in 18 September frames with the Rays. A good athlete, Archer also was used as a pinch-runner in the majors. He moves well off the mound but is prone to making errors and must do a better job of controlling the running game. The Future: His inability to throw consistent strikes leads some scouts to suggest that Archer could wind up in the bullpen, perhaps even as a closer. But the progress he made after the all-star break showed that he has the ability to be a No. 2 or 3 starter, particularly if he can trust his changeup more against major league hitters. He's a good bet to earn a spot on Tampa Bay's 25-man roster in 2013, though his role as a rookie may depend on whether the club decides to deal a veteran starter or two in the offseason to free up a spot in the rotation.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Archer struggled for three years in the Indians system before joining the Cubs in a trade for Mark DeRosa in December 2008. By the time he was included in the Matt Garza trade last January, Archer ranked as Chicago's No. 1 prospect. Despite an uneven showing in his first season in the Rays system, he recorded a 3.25 ERA over the final three months, including two quality starts in Triple-A to finish the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Archer has impressive size and a quick arm that generates a power fastball/slider combo. His heater resides at 90-95 mph and touches 97 with run and sink. He loses faith in his fastball and falls in love with his plus-plus slider, an 86-88 mph offering with incredible tilt and good depth. He'll need to improve his below-average changeup in order to remain a starter. He struggles at times to repeat his delivery, which leads to control issues. He led the Double-A Southern League with 18 wild pitches and ranked third with 80 walks in 2011.
  
  The Future: Archer has the stuff to challenge hitters and succeed in the front half of a major league rotation. He also would have what it takes to become a closer. He'll open 2012 in Durham and should make his big league debut at some point during the year.