Aaron King
| IP | 221 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.48 |
| WHIP | 1.489 |
| BB/9 | 6.19 |
| SO/9 | 9.367 |
- Full name Aaron H. King
- Born 04/27/1989 in Hickory, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Surry CC
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Drafted in the 7th round (207th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2008 (signed for $110,000).
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King has all the things scouting directors love, as a 6-foot-4 lefthander who pitches in the low to mid-90s. Possibly the best lefthander in the junior college ranks, King is a strikeout pitcher, pitching off his fastball and putting hitters away with his slider. He also throws a changeup. He's athletic on the mound and still has projection. His delivery is somewhat unconventional and causes him to be erratic at times. The question with King, at it is with most juco pitchers, is whether he will throw enough strikes. His K/BB ratio this season was close to 3/1. He will at least be given a chance as a starting pitcher in the pros. He's a freshman at Surry and relatively new on the scouting radar, and he wasn't drafted out of high school.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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After seeing King pitch on tape, Giants vice president of player personnel Dick Tidrow made King his "priority guy" in the 2008 draft. He has the size and arm action that the organization prizes, and he lasted seven rounds because he's something of a long-term project. King struggled in his first full pro season as San Francisco tried to hone his mechanics and give him a delivery he could repeat without difficulty. He's still figuring that out, as evidenced by his average of 4.5 walks per nine innings. There's nothing wrong with his pure stuff, however. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has been clocked as high as 97 mph. He managed to develop a nice changeup that he could throw for strikes. His breaking ball is less refined, a slurve that the Giants hope to turn into a true slider. The Giants will continue to develop him as a starter to get him innings, but King projects more as a reliever unless he makes drastic improvements to his command and breaking ball. He'll advance to high Class A this year. -
Giants vice president Dick Tidrow saw just a little bit of tape on King heading into the 2008 draft, but he knew immediately that the juco lefthander would be his "priority guy" for the draft. King has a power arm and a big frame that San Francisco projects will get stronger. He has a high leg kick and unleashes a fastball that sits at 93-95 mph and climbs as high as 97 with nice movement. His slider can be a swing-and-miss pitch, too. King doesn't have a feel for his pitches, however, and it will take time for him to develop command and consistency. For now, his fastball is overpowering enough that he'll get away with location mistakes at the lower levels. The Giants regard King as a good gamble for a seventh-round pick and a $110,000 bonus, even if he ends up in a relief role. In addition to throwing a no-hitter at Surry (N.C.) CC, he hit .329 and homered five times in 67 at-bats as a DH. After a strong pro debut in the Arizona League, King likely will jump to low Class A to start his first full season.
