Nick Hill Stats & Scouting Report

IP	403
ERA	4.087
WHIP	1.457
BB/9	3.618
SO/9	8.33

Full name Nicholas Greeley Hill
Born 01/30/1985 in Knoxville, TN
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Army
Drafted in the 7th round (225th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2007 (signed for $70,000).

View Draft Report

Hill struck out 13 over 8 2/3 innings in a Patriot League tournament win over Navy ace Mitch Harris, putting an exclamation point on a standout four-year college career that saw him go 33-12, 2.20 with 336 strikeouts and 85 walks in 328 innings. The Red Sox drafted him as a junior just to honor him, even though U.S. Military Academy rules prevented him from signing. He has received permission to put off his active duty to pursue his professional baseball career this year. One of the fiercest competitors in the nation, Hill has thrived this year even though his fastball sat around 87 mph with riding life, not approaching the low 90s he touched last summer for USA Baseball's college national team. He locates to both sides of the plate with all his pitches, including a fringe-average, slurvy curveball and a slightly above-average changeup. Hill could climb into the fourth round as a money-saving senior draft.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Red Sox first drafted Hill in 2006, but U.S. Military Academy rules at the time prohibited the 47thround pick from signing. The Mariners made him the highest-drafted player ever from Army the following year, signing him for $70,000 as a seventh-round senior. He started his pro career that summer under the military's alternative-service option, which allowed him to forgo active duty. He has participated in recruiting efforts in the minor league cities where he was assigned, and he has spent his offseasons meeting with prospective student- athlete cadets. Hill completed his two-year service commitment last summer, taking leave from West Tenn for a month to do so. To make up for lost time, the Mariners sent him to the Arizona Fall League. Hill works effectively as both a reliever and starter, sitting at 87-89 mph with good sink and reaching as high as 91-92 with his four-seam fastball. He throws an 83-84 mph slider with solid depth and tilt. Add in his changeup, and he has the weaponry to attack lefthanders and righthanderrs. With his work ethic and competitiveness, Seattle envisions him making a big league impact at some point in 2010, most likely in the bullpen.
The Red Sox drafted Hill as a junior in 2006 just to honor him, even though U.S. Military Academy rules prevented him from signing. He received permission to put off his active duty to pursue his professional baseball career in 2007, and the Mariners signed him for $70,000 after taking him in the seventh round. He's the highest-drafted player ever out of Army. Though his stuff is fringy, Hill has all kinds of pitchability and was one of the fiercest competitors available in the 2007 draft. He attacks with three pitches and loves pitching inside, two reasons why Everett's coaching staff immediately took to him. For a pitcher who stands 6-feet tall, Hill gets surprisingly good plane on an 87 mph fastball with riding life, occasionally scraping 90. His slurvy curveball is average and his changeup slightly above, and he locates them both well to both sides of the plate. Because his stuff leaves him little margin for error, Hill will need to continue mixing and locating his pitches with aplomb as he takes on high Class A in 2008.