Drew Smyly

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #3 prospect in 2012
  Smyly parlayed his extra leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore into a $1.1 million bonus as a second-rounder in 2010. Making his pro debut in 2011, he reached Double-A Erie in July and allowed just six earned runs in eight outings. After the season, he threw 17 shutout innings for Team USA at the World Cup and Pan American Games. Smyly has an advanced understanding of how to attack hitters, which allows his average stuff to play up. He throws his fastball at 87-92 mph with slight tailing life, commanding it down in the zone to get grounders. He uses both a curveball and a slider, with scouts split on which is more effective. He also has a splitter-like changeup and a mid-80s cutter that helps him against righthanders. Smyly repeats his easy delivery and maintains a consistent high three-quarters arm slot, making it difficult for hitters to figure out what he's throwing. He redshirted in his first season at Arkansas with a stress fracture in his elbow and missed six weeks early last year with a sore arm, so he has to prove he can handle a starter's workload. The Tigers aren't afraid to fast-track their pitching prospects, and Smyly's polish and performance merit a swift rise. A future No. 3 or 4 starter, he could open 2012 in Triple-A and finish it in the big league rotation.
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  Ranked Detroit Tigers #8 prospect in 2011
  Smyly had back problems as a high school senior and redshirted his first season at Arkansas with a stress fracture in his elbow. He struck out 12 while beating Oklahoma in a regional championship game in 2009, setting the stage for becoming the Razorbacks' ace last spring. A draft-eligible sophomore, he signed for $1.1 million as a second-rounder. Smyly throws a lot of strikes and has an exceptional feel for pitching. He knows what it's like to pitch in big situations and he did well under the Friday night lights in the Southeastern Conference. His best pitches are an 89-92 mph fastball with some sink and armside run, and a low- to mid-80s cutter. He still needs to refine his curveball, which occasionally shows good depth, and his changeup, which he throws too hard at 84-86 mph. He has a few things to clean up in his delivery--he has a little wrist wrap and his front side can be a little stiff--but the Tigers are impressed with how easily the ball comes out of his hand. He gets good downhill plane on his fastball. Projecting as a mid-rotation starter, Smyly probably will make his pro debut in high Class A. Given his polish and Detroit's propensity to put pitchers on the fast track, he could reach the big leagues toward the end of 2012.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #16 prospect in 2011
  A polished college lefthander, Smyly was one of the league's most effective pitchers despite missing a month with a sore arm. Following his promotion to Double-A in late July, he gave up just six earned runs in seven starts. Smyly lacks a single overwhelming pitch but his all-around package gives him a chance to move quickly as a starter. His fastball tops out at 92 mph but he mostly pitches at 87-89 with some slight tailing action. He can mix in a mid-80s cutter as well that serves as an effective weapon against righthanders, whom he held to a .214 average between his two stops. He also mixes in a curveball, slider and changeup, with the curve showing the most promise. Smyly has a good pitcher's frame and repeats his delivery easily. He lives in the bottom half of the strike zone, knows when he can elevate the ball and isn't afraid to pitch inside.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Smyly parlayed his extra leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore into a $1.1 million bonus as a second-rounder in 2010. Making his pro debut in 2011, he reached Double-A Erie in July and allowed just six earned runs in eight outings. After the season, he threw 17 shutout innings for Team USA at the World Cup and Pan American Games. Scouting Report: Smyly has an advanced understanding of how to attack hitters. He throws his fastball at 87-92 mph with slight tailing life, commanding it down in the zone to get grounders. He uses both a curveball and a slider, with scouts split on which is more effective. He also has a splitter-like changeup and a mid-80s cutter that helps him against righthanders. Smyly repeats his easy delivery and maintains a consistent high three-quarters arm slot, making it difficult for hitters to figure out what he's throwing. He redshirted in his first season at Arkansas with a stress fracture in his elbow and missed six weeks early last year with a sore arm, so he has to prove he can handle a starter's workload. The Future: The Tigers aren't afraid to fast-track their pitching prospects, and Smyly's polish and performance merit a swift rise. A future No. 3 or 4 starter, he could open 2012 in Triple-A and finish it in the big league rotation.