Travis Banwart
| IP | 1106 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.215 |
| WHIP | 1.369 |
| BB/9 | 3.076 |
| SO/9 | 7.25 |
- Full name Travis Jordan Banwart
- Born 02/14/1986 in Wichita, KS
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Wichita State
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Drafted in the 4th round (150th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2007 (signed for $155,250).
View Draft Report
Banwart doesn't have the wow stuff of former Wichita State studs Darren Dreifort, Braden Looper or Mike Pelfrey, but his feel for pitching is among the best in the draft. His changeup is his lone plus pitch, but his ability to locate four pitches where he wants makes him effective against lefthanded and righthanded hitters. Strong and durable at 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, he maintains his 88-91 mph velocity throughout a game. He also uses both a curveball and a slider. Banwart has performed well in front of scouts, earning all-star honors in the Cape Cod League last summer and outdueling likely top-five pick Ross Detwiler with seven shutout innings in mid-April. Banwart won't ever be more than a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues, but he could get there quickly and likely won't last past the third round.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Banwart was a three-year member of Wichita State's rotation and developed an outstanding feel for pitching in that time. However, he doesn't have the big arm that characterizes past Shockers stars who have reached the big leagues, such as Darren Dreifort, Braden Looper and Mike Pelfrey. Banwart is one of the most intelligent pitchers in the organization, twice making the honor roll in college, and upped his stock as an all-star performer in the Cape Cod League in 2006. He signed for $155,250 as a fourth-rounder last June. His plus changeup is his best pitch, and he commands all four pitches in the strike zone. His fastball comes in at 88-91 mph and he also throws a curveball and slider, but his 60 command on the 20-to-80 scouting scale helps everything play up a notch. He's big, strong and durable and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues. Banwart was very effective in his pro debut, though he had trouble getting consistent ground balls. He might be better off scrapping one of his breaking balls in the long term and focusing on improving his slider to give him a weapon with two-plane break. He'll likely move up to the high Class A rotation in 2008.
