Kenny Baugh Stats & Scouting Report

IP	701
ERA	4.494
WHIP	1.432
BB/9	3.441
SO/9	6.086

Full name Kenneth Dwight Baugh
Born 02/05/1979 in Beaumont, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Rice
Drafted in the 1st round (11th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2001 (signed for $1,800,000).

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A 2000 fifth-round pick by the Athletics, Baugh opted to return to Rice. That decision will pay off as he'll jump into the first round--based on talent, not his status as a senior. He repeated as the Western Athletic Conference pitcher of the year and became the 10th college pitcher to reach 40 victories and 400 strikeouts in his career. More important from a pro standpoint, his stuff got better. Last year he had a solid average repertoire enhanced by his feel for pitching. This spring, he boosted his fastball from 87-91 mph to 93-95, while maintaining his deceptive changeup and enhancing his curveball. He continued to throw all three pitches for strikes at will. He could go as high as 10th overall to the Astros, who hit it big with another local Rice star in Lance Berkman four years ago. Baugh should be one of the first players from the 2001 draft to reach the majors.

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Baugh no longer has the look of a first-round pick, but he does have the look of a fringy No. 5 starter who should contribute in the big leagues. The Padres picked him up from the Tigers in a mid-December trade for low Class A righthander Ricky Steik. The 11th overall choice in the 2001 draft, Baugh pitched 205 innings that year between Rice and the minors. The workload took a toll on his shoulder, as he had a torn labrum that required surgery and cost him the entire 2002 season. Baugh has shown improved health and durability the last three seasons, and in 2005 he led the Triple-A International League in starts while ranking second in wins and fifth in ERA. He had two playoff victories to help Toledo win the IL championship as well. Baugh no longer has first-round stuff, as his fastball now sits at 87- 89 mph. He does spot his fastball well, however, and generally uses his height well to keep it on a good downward plane. He also throws a spike curveball and an improved changeup that helps him handle lefthanders. San Diego will give Baugh a look in spring training but he could be headed for more time in Triple-A.
Baugh went 11th overall in the 2001 draft and handled Double-A so easily in his debut that he seemed almost ready to step into the big league rotation. But his progress was halted by injuries, starting with shoulder problems that first surfaced that summer. He had surgery to fix a torn labrum and missed all of 2002, and it has been a slow climb back. Baugh still hasn't made it past Double-A, and he closed 2004 on the disabled list with a biceps ailment. The Tigers remain optimistic enough to have kept him on the 40-man roster. Baugh's velocity got back to 88-91 mph last year, enough to get by because he commands an average curveball and changeup. The key for him is to stay on top of his pitches, because his fastball and curve flatten out when he drops down. If Baugh can stay healthy in Triple-A this year, he could get his first shot in the major leagues.
The 11th overall pick in 2001, Baugh pitched well in Double-A that summer and seemed on the verge of joining Detroit's rotation. But shoulder problems surfaced that August, requiring arthroscopic surgery to repair a labrum tear. He missed all of 2002 and didn't look the same when he returned last year. Baugh knows how to pitch. He has excellent command of his fastball and can work it to any quadrant of the strike zone. His curveball might be his best pitch and was more consistent than ever in 2003. He also has a good changeup, giving him the chance to have three average pitches. His makeup and work ethic are excellent. Baugh didn't light up the radar gun before he got hurt, usually pitching at 90 mph, and his velocity was down to 85-88 in 2003. The movement on his fastball is also ordinary, so it can get hammered if he doesn't locate it with precision. There also are obvious concerns about his shoulder. Baugh will begin 2004 in Triple-A. How far he goes depends on his ability to stay healthy and regain arm strength.
The Tigers expected Baugh to move quickly when they chose him 11th overall in 2001, after he was the Western Athletic Conference pitcher of the year as a Rice senior. He quickly advanced to Double-A in his first pro summer, throwing well in five starts before being shut down with a tired arm. The problem is that he hasn't pitched since because of shoulder woes. After rest initially was prescribed, he needed arthroscopic surgery on his labrum. When he's right, Baugh has a fastball that usually sits around 90 mph with sinking action. He has touched 95 but gets more movement when he doesn't light up the radar gun. His changeup has progressed nicely, but his curveball is terribly inconsistent. At times it's a plus pitch and at others it's not even close. Regaining his health and improving his curve to the point that he can depend on it are the keys for Baugh. He knows how to work both sides of the plate and sets up hitters for his offspeed pitches late in the count. He's expected to be 100 percent for spring training. If that's the case, Baugh likely will begin the season in Double-A.
It was viewed as something of a reach and a signability pick when the Tigers drafted Baugh 11th overall last June. A fifth-round pick by Oakland in 2000, he opted to return for his senior season and was named Western Athletic Conference pitcher of the year. After signing for $1.8 million, he justified Detroit's faith by pitching well and reaching Double-A Erie before being shut down with a tired arm. His changeup already is an above-average pitch. His fastball, which occasionally reaches 94 mph, has good sink and he commands it well. He's an excellent athlete, which helps him repeat his delivery and throw strikes with ease. Most pitchers drafted in the upper half of the first round consistently throw harder than Baugh. While he tops out at 95 mph, he more often works at 88-91. His curveball is far from ready for the major leagues at this time. Baugh will begin this season in Double-A or Triple-A. If he performs reasonably well, he likely will make his big league debut at some point in 2002. He's the frontrunner to be the first player from the 2001 draft to reach the majors.