Rowdy Hardy

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #30 prospect in 2008
  Hardy won an Ohio Valley Conference-record 32 games with Austin Peay State and signed with the Royals for $1,000 as a fifth-year senior prior to the 2006 draft. He has continued to win as a professional, leading the Carolina League in victories and innings and ranking second in ERA last season, compiling one of the best seasons of any pitcher in the minor leagues. He succeeds with below-average stuff but with the best control in the system, evidenced by a 91-16 K-BB ratio last season and just 21 walks in 247 career innings. Hardy's fastball sits at just 82-84 mph and tops out at 86. He has plenty of movement on the pitch, locates it to both sides of the plate and has shown he's not afraid to pitch inside with it. He keeps hitters off balance with an above-average changeup with late sink that he uses almost as a variation of his fastball. Hardy's curveball is still developing and is not quite average, but he can locate it on the outer half or throw it as a backdoor pitch. Velocity is Hardy's biggest hurdle in developing as a starter, and how he fares against Double-A hitters this season will be telling. Scouts will always doubt him because his stuff is so short. Though compared by some to Jamie Moyer, Hardy may profile best a lefty specialist out of the bullpen because he may have difficulty making it through a lineup more than once.