Justin Souza
| IP | 566 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.754 |
| WHIP | 1.396 |
| BB/9 | 2.64 |
| SO/9 | 6.981 |
- Full name Justin Richard Souza
- Born 10/22/1985 in Stockton, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Sacramento City College
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Drafted in the 9th round (261st overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2006 (signed for $65,000).
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The highest grade given by the Major League Scouting Bureau to any California junior college player early in the year went to Justin Souza at Sacramento City College, as his mid-90s fastball attracted attention. Under closer scrutiny, Souza remained likely to be drafted in the first 10 rounds, if not an elite prospect. Scouts have seen him for awhile because he played on the same high school team as Rockies prospect Ryan Mattheus and Rangers farmhand Zach Phillips. Slight at a listed 6-foot-1, 188 pounds (which one scout called "very generous"), he's in his third year of college and at his second college, having started at American River Junior College. He missed one season with pain in his throwing shoulder, though he didn't need surgery and no serious damage was ever found. Souza profiles as a middle reliever with a delivery that takes some effort, a sinking fastball that sits in the low 90s (and has touched 95), and a solid though sweepy slider. He's committed to Arizona State but is likely ready to play pro ball.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Souza looked to be on the verge of a breakout season after coming over from the Mariners in a trade for Jack Hannahan in 2009, but he was shut down late in 2010 with an elbow injury that required surgery. He also had to face the adversity of his younger brother dying of cystic fibrosis in January 2011. Once Souza joined Midland's bullpen last May, he looked like the pitcher the A's had gotten excited about in the fall of 2009. He pitches at 92-95 mph with his fastball and can dial it up to 97, though it's fairly straight. His slider and changeup can be major league quality when they're on, but he needs them to be more consistent. He can get the slider up to 86 mph, while the changeup has some depth to it at 83-85 mph. Souza was aggressive and controlled the strike zone when he was going well last year, though his command could still be tightened. Teams have toyed with using him as a starter in the past, but those days are over, given that his medical history also includes shoulder issues. Souza will return to Triple-A to open 2011 and could be an option in the big league bullpen in the near future, though he'll have to regain a place on the 40-man roster after losing it at the end of 2010. -
Souza arrived from the Mariners in a trade for Jack Hannahan last July and was one of the stars of Oakland's instructional league. His four-seam fastball sits at 93-95 mph with natural cutting action, and the A's helped him develop a true cutter at 88-89 that was electric in the fall. He has a two-seamer with sink as well, and three varieties of offspeed pitches to complement the fastballs. The best of the bunch is his hard slider, which has tilt and looks like a fastball coming out of his hand. He shows a feel for his changeup, and the A's are working with him on slowing down his curveball to give it more differentiation from his slider. There's some effort in Souza's delivery and he has had shoulder problems in the past. He both started and relieved in the Seattle system, and Oakland hasn't committed to a long-term path for him. The A's thought highly enough of Souza to add him to their 40-man roster after the season. He'll have a chance to prove himself against big league hitters in spring training but figures to open 2010 in Triple-A. He still could start but looks more likely to contribute as a power reliever.
