Tyler Thornburg

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #2 prospect in 2013
  The Brewers bounced Thornburg around in 2012. He was headed for the Southern League all-star game when they summoned him for an emergency start in mid-June. Then he went to Triple-A, where he sat for a couple of weeks with a sore wrist, before getting recalled again in late July and placed in an unfamiliar relief role. As a September callup, he mostly watched before getting a start after Milwaukee was eliminated from contention. Thornburg primarily works with a 91-94 mph fastball that hits 97 and an overhand curveball that buckles knees when he thows it for strikes. Scouts like his deceptive changeup more than his curve, though the latter was his best pitch in the majors. Thornburg has unorthodox mechanics, pinwheeling the ball to the plate a la Tim Lincecum and prompting some scouts to wonder if he'll be able to repeat his delivery enough to be a starter in the majors. He does throw strikes but needs to improve his command. He left his somewhat straight fastball up in the strike zone too often in the big leagues, and gave up eight homers in 22 innings. Thornburg likely will open 2013 in Nashville because the Brewers don't have any rotation openings. They still see him as a mid-rotation starter, though his future could be as a late-inning reliever.
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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #4 prospect in 2012
  Compared to Tim Lincecum because of his slight frame and pinwheeling delivery, Thornburg has had little difficulty in the lower minors, compiling a 2.48 ERA and 198 strikeouts in 160 innings since signing as a 2010 third-round pick. In his first full pro season, he allowed 12 runs in 12 starts at low Class A Wisconsin and appeared in the Futures Game and held high Class A hitters to a .186 average. Thornburg has been clocked as high as 98 mph when used in relief, but as a starter he usually pitches at 89-92 mph and peaks at 94. His changeup can be his best pitch at times, confounding hitters because it has good fade and he throws it with deceptive arm speed. His 11-to-5 curveball has the potential to be a solid third offering, though his unorthodox mechanics make it difficult to finish the pitch. His delivery is funky but it also leads scouts to wonder if he'll have enough command and durability to remain a starter. The Brewers have no plans to take Thornburg out of the rotation, though his stuff and aggressive nature would play well in a late-inning relief role if needed. A likely No. 3 starter, he'll step up to Double-A to begin 2012 and could surface in Milwaukee at some point in 2013.
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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #8 prospect in 2011
  Thornburg has drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum for his height and his delivery. He impressed scouts as a closer in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2009, then continued to throw well last spring while pulling double duty as a starter and outfielder at Charleston Southern. After signing for $351,900 as a third-round pick, he was hampered by an oblique strain in his pro debut but still had 38 strikeouts in 23 innings. Thornburg's fastball sits at 93-95 mph and tops out at 98, though it doesn't feature much life. Some scouts think his power curveball is his best pitch. He flashed an improved changeup in pro ball, so he may have the requisite three pitches to remain a starter. He'll need to improve his command, however. His aggressive nature on the mound would serve him well if the Brewers decide to make him a reliever. As a potential closer, Thornburg might offer more upside coming out of the bullpen. Milwaukee will continue to develop him as a starter for now, giving him time to work on his changeup and command. He'll probably begin his first full pro season in low Class A, but he could make a push for Brevard County with a strong spring.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Southern League #16 prospect in 2012
  Thornburg began his second full pro season in Double-A, retired the first 22 batters he faced in one April start, and was pitching in the Brewers rotation by June. He gave up four homers in his first big league start and eight in 22 innings in Milwaukee, compared to just seven longballs surrendered in 113 innings. Thornburg's fastball ranges form 90-97 mph and usually operates at 91-94. Scouts consider his changeup better than his curveball, though his curve was clearly his most effective pitch during his time with the Brewers. At times, his changeup has late sink and his curve has 11-to-5 shape and power. Because Thornburg lacks size, he doesn't get much plane on his pitches and there are concerns about his durability. His arm tends to drag when he throws his secondary pitches, making them less consistent and hampering his ability to locate them. Though he mainly worked out of the bullpen in September, he still has the makings of a No. 3 starter for the long run.
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  Ranked Midwest League #18 prospect in 2011
  The Brewers have had more success trading for pitchers than developing them, but Thornburg may be about to change that. In his first full pro season, he allowed 12 earned runs in 12 MWL starts and had no problems handling a midseason jump to high Class A. Though Thornburg's fastball had been clocked in the mid-90s in the past, his signature pitch at Wisconsin was the league's best changeup. He sells his changeup with the same arm speed and action that he uses with his fastball, and it comes to the plate in the upper 70s before it fades late. Thornburg's fastball sat at 89-92 while he was with the Timber Rattlers, peaking at 94. He has an unorthodox delivery that has prompted some Tim Lincecum comparisons and adds deception. Those mechanics also lead to inconsistency finishing off his curveball, which can get loopy, and have some scouts wondering if they're conducive to the durability needed to remain a starter.
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  Ranked Florida State League #14 prospect in 2011
  In his first full year as a pro, Thornburg reached Brevard County in late June. Over the remainder of the season, he ranked second in the league in opponent average (.186) and third in strikeouts (84).Thornburg pitches with an aggressive mentality, attacking hitters with an 89-94 mph fastball that has touched 97 in the past. His changeup is a plus pitch at times, featuring some fading action and 78-81 mph velocity. His 11-to-5 curveball has the potential to be a solid offering, and he's also starting to work on a two-seam fastball to complement his four-seamer. Thornburg is able to generate good downhill plane despite his lack of size, and his funky delivery gives him added deception. Some scouts worry about his motion hurting his ability to locate his pitches, but he showed average control in the FSL.

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: The Brewers bounced Thornburg around in 2012. He was headed for the Southern League all-star game when they summoned him for an emergency start in mid-June. Then he went to Triple-A, where he sat for a couple of weeks with a sore wrist, before getting recalled again in late July and placed in an unfamiliar relief role. As a September callup, he mostly sat before getting a start after Milwaukee was eliminated from contention. Scouting Report: Thornburg primarily works with a 91-94 mph fastball that hits 97 and an overhand curveball that buckles knees when he throws it for strikes. Scouts like his deceptive changeup more than his curve, though the latter was his best pitch in the majors. Thornburg has unorthodox mechanics, pinwheeling the ball to the plate a la Tim Lincecum and prompting some scouts to wonder if he'll be able to repeat his delivery enough. He does throw strikes but needs to improve his command. He left his somewhat straight fastball up in the strike zone too often in the big leagues and gave up eight homers in 22 innings. The Future: Thornburg likely will open 2013 in Nashville. The Brewers still see him as a mid-rotation starter, though his future could be as a late-inning reliever.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Compared to Tim Lincecum for his slight frame and pinwheeling delivery, Thornburg has had little difficulty in the lower minors, compiling a 2.48 ERA and 198 strikeouts in 160 innings since signing as a 2010 third-round pick. In his first full pro season, he allowed 12 runs in 12 starts at low Class A Wisconsin, appeared in the Futures Game and held high Class A hitters to a .186 average. Scouting Report: Thornburg has been clocked as high as 98 mph when used in relief, but as a starter he usually pitches at 89-92 mph and peaks at 94. His changeup can be his best pitch at times, confounding hitters because it has good fade and he throws it with deceptive arm speed. His 11-to-5 curve has the potential to be a solid third offering, though his unorthodox mechanics make it difficult to finish the pitch. His delivery is funky but it also leads scouts to wonder if he'll have enough command and durability to remain a starter. The Future: The Brewers have no plans to take Thornburg out of the rotation, though his stuff and aggressive nature would play well in a late-inning relief role if needed. A likely No. 3 starter, he'll step up to Double-A to begin and could surface in Milwaukee at some point in 2013.