Bud Norris Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1221
ERA	4.452
WHIP	1.396
BB/9	3.575
SO/9	8.499

Full name David Stefan Norris
Born 03/02/1985 in Greenbrae, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Debut 07/29/2009
Drafted in the 6th round (189th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2006 (signed for $140,000).

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Cal Poly entered the season ranked in Baseball America's Top 25, and righthander Gary Daley had the spotlight on him after leading the Alaska League with 51 strikeouts in 53 innings last summer. Norris also got attention after ranking as the No. 3 prospect in the West Coast Collegiate League. The Mustangs weren't able to handle the spotlight, though. The hard-throwing Daley stumbled badly, as did the veteran-laden team. Norris and third baseman Josh Lansford (son of Carney) were the two players whose draft stock had improved, as Norris took over for Daley as the Friday starter and kept the team competitive. Norris profiles as a reliever because he has power stuff and a sturdy (if short) frame. His fastball sits in the 90-93 mph range, can reach a bit higher at times and has good life. Norris also throws a hard slider that can be average at times. He lacks a feel for changing speeds and his changeup remains too firm. While his control improved considerably this season, it's still fringy. Scouts like Norris' competitiveness and bulldog approach, which also suit him for a relief role.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

It was an up and down season for Norris, but the Astros were encouraged by how it closed. An elbow strain kept him out from mid-May to early July at Double-A Corpus Christi, but he came back and responded with a terrific second half (3.85 ERA in 43 innings) despite being on 75-pitch limits. Overall, he struck out 9.45 per nine innings. Norris seems clear of health issues and proved it in the Arizona Fall League. Thanks to a stocky build and strong legs, he pounds the zone with his fastball and shows a hard, short slider. The fastball was clocked at 98 mph in the AFL, but he works better when it's 93- 95 and he spots it. Thanks to an adjustment in his delivery, he created better angles to attack hitters. The slider benefited the most, breaking down and away from righthanders now, rather than only horizontally. Norris is generously listed at 6 feet, so he doesn't get great downward plane on his pitches, and his fastball can flatten out if he tries to simply blow it by people. He'll need to maintain his improved delivery after a slight drift had kept him from getting good life on his pitches. He also needs to fully integrate his changeup. He shows a feel for it but didn't throw it often in the fall. Many believe Norris could challenge for a big league role in spring training. At the least he could be the club's No. 6 starter, biding his time at Triple-A Round Rock and waiting for a need. Long-term, he'll have to develop a true third pitch if he's to remain a starter.
Thanks in part to a strong performance in Hawaii Winter Baseball, Norris rates as the best prospect from the Astros' 2006 draft despite lasting until the sixth round. He struck out 33 in 25 innings and opponents hit .184 against him in Hawaii. Norris worked in the mid-90s and topped out at 97 mph as a reliever, and he sat in the low 90s as a starter. His fastball also has late life, making it that much more difficult to hit. He has the best curveball in the system, a power downer that he throws in the low 80s. Norris still lacks polish. His control of his curveball comes and goes, while his changeup is still very much a work in progress. He's still honing his feel for pitching, and when he rushes his delivery he loses rhythm and command. He's not very big, so there are questions about his long-term durability as a starter. The Astros will continue to start Norris to give him more innings, but he profiles better as a reliever. He likely will begin 2008 in high Class A Salem, and he could develop into Houston's closer of the future.
Norris began his career at Cal Poly as a two-way player before focusing on pitching as a sophomore and emerging as the Mustangs' No. 1 starter as a junior last spring. He eased into pro ball as a reliever and spent the summer throwing his four-seam fastball by New York- Penn League hitters. Norris pitched at 90-93 mph as a starter during the spring, and his velocity rose to the mid-90s and topped out at 97 when he worked out of the bullpen. His heater has late hop at the end, making it difficult for hitters to square up. His No. 2 pitch is a power curveball with 12-to-6 break, though he doesn't command it effectively. The Astros will start Norris this year in low Class A to give him the innings to polish his repertoire. He needs to do a better job of working all four quadrants of the strike zone. He throws his changeup too hard and it doesn't have enough separation from his fastball. In the long term, Norris' stuff and bulldog attitude will probably fit best in the bullpen.

Minor League Top Prospects

Despite toiling for last-place Round Rock and winning just four of his 19 starts, Norris was named PCL pitcher of the year after leading the league in ERA (2.62), strikeouts per nine innings (8.4) and opponent average (.237). Called up to Houston in late July, he allowed just four runs in four September starts. Norris' primary weapon is a fastball that sits at 92-95 mph. His sharp slider gives him a second plus pitch. His changeup could become an average pitch down the road, but he often throws it too hard and struggles to command it. PCL observers praised Norris' competitiveness and confidence on the mound, traits that allowed him to succeed even on days he didn't have his best stuff.