Billy Buckner

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #8 prospect in 2009
  Buckner came over from the Royals in a trade for Alberto Callaspo after the 2007 season, and his Diamondbacks career got off to a horrendous beginning. He allowed 24 earned runs in his first five starts at Triple-A Tucson and took a 7.94 ERA into May, but was much better the rest of the way, holding his own in spite of bouncing all season between Tucson, where he started, and Arizona, where he worked out of the bullpen. Buckner has the weapons to pitch in the middle of a rotation, with a lively, low-90s sinker and a curveball that's his favorite pitch. He can get batters to swing and miss with both of those pitches. His changeup is a notch behind, and he has used it much more often in the minors than in the majors. He also can throw a knuckle-curve. Buckner's strikeouts were down and walks were up last year, reflecting that he wasn't aggressive enough and didn't have confidence in all his pitches. He also needs to improve his command, which showed progress in 2007 but took a step back in 2008. Buckner has a resilient arm and his velocity goes up a tick out of the bullpen, so Arizona could easily use him in that role. But he holds his stuff well during games and has three good pitches when he's on, suggesting a starting role would be best. He'll compete for Arizona's fifth starter's job in spring training and could occupy a swingman role in 2008 as he sorts out his long-term future.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #4 prospect in 2008
  Buckner is the most advanced pitcher in the system, yet where he fits remains a bit of a question. He made 12 relief appearances in Triple-A so that he'd be better prepared for a callup, then worked primarily as a starter when he did join the Royals in late August. Like many pitchers getting their first taste of the majors, he didn't challenge hitters as aggressively as he did in the minors. Buckner mixes an 89-92 mph fastball with an above-average knuckle-curve and a changeup that could grade equally high down the road. Buckner's curve is his go-to pitch. He shows good arm action with his changeup, which he also uses as a strikeout pitch. When he's going good, he gets ahead with an easy two-seam fastball that has some sink or a four-seamer that moves away from righthanders to setup his offspeed pitches. His mechanics are sound. Buckner relied too much on his curve in college, and as a result he has an underdeveloped fastball. He needs better command of his heater to reach his potential. He didn't establish his curveball and changeup in the majors as well as he did in the minors. At times, he tries to be too fine with his pitches. Buckner projects as a possible No. 3 starter if he can refine his fastball command. The Royals would like him to earn a big league rotation job in spring training.
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  Ranked Kansas City Royals #9 prospect in 2007
  Lefthander Matt Campbell, a 2004 first-rounder, hasn't pitched since tearing his labrum in mid-2005. But his former college teammate Buckner, a second-rounder in 2004, has acquitted himself quite well. He allowed only one run in his final 21 innings in 2006, including a playoff victory. His father (not the former big league batting champion of the same name) taught Buckner how to throw a knuckle-curve as a kid. It has a devastating 12-to-6 spike and is a strikeout pitch. His fastball sits in the low 90s with natural sink that creates groundballs. Buckner needs better command across the board. He refuses to give in to hitters and walks too many hitters in an attempt to be too fine. The Royals don't want to take away his aggressive nature, but they would like him to do a better job of channeling his emotions while trusting his fastball more. His changeup can be an average pitch but needs more work. Kansas City sees him as a reliable starter with some upside if he can improve his command. He is set to begin 2007 in Triple-A Omaha.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #11 prospect in 2006
  Though he was the third of four pitchers the Royals took in the first two rounds of the 2004 draft, Buckner has the brightest future of the group, which also includes Matt Campbell, J.P. Howell and Erik Cordier. Buckner isn't related to the former big league batting champion of the same name. His dad taught him how to throw a knuckle-curve, and it has developed into a plus 12-to-6 downer. It's a great swing-and-miss pitch that he's working to throw for called strikes more consistently. He fed college hitters a steady diet of curves, but Kansas City has urged Buckner to work more off his fastball as a pro. By doing so, Buckner has built up his arm strength and now reaches the low 90s with consistency. When he's on, he can work both sides of the plate with his fastball. His changeup could become an average pitch. Buckner's overall command varies from excellent to so-so depending on how well he maintains his alignment during delivery. He must work down in the zone more often. Projected as a middle-of-the-rotation starter, Buckner will move to Double-A for 2006.
• 
  Ranked Kansas City Royals #15 prospect in 2005
  Buckner, who will tell you quickly he isn't related to the former major leaguer of the same name, played alongside Orioles first-rounder Nick Markakis at Young-Harris (Ga.) Junior College in 1999, but chose to attend South Carolina instead of signing with the Devil Rays after they took him in the ninth round. Buckner found immediate success with the Gamecocks. His fastball velocity improved from 87-88 mph to the low 90s, serving as a perfect complement to an excellent knuckle-curve that drops off the table. He struck out 14 against Clemson in early March in front of several scouting directors, including Kansas City's Deric Ladnier, and appeared destined for the first round. But he came down with mononucleosis and never got back to full strength as the draft approached, so the Royals were able to get him in the second round--one round after South Carolina teammate Matt Campbell. Buckner also owns a changeup with plus potential but he needs to throw it more. Also on his to-do list are getting stronger and establishing his fastball more after relying heavily on his breaking ball in college. He has the polish and college pedigree to move quickly after starting 2005 in low Class A. He could end up as a No. 3 or 4 starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #17 prospect in 2007
  Buckner added a reliable changeup to his above-average fastball and plus curveball to put together his finest season and win admirers around the league. The Royals noticed, too, and promoted him in late August. Buckner commands a live, low-90s sinker that generates plenty of groundballs. His best pitch, however, is a 12-to-6 spike curveball with sharp tilt. It fools hitters because it doesn't jump out of his hand, instead starting on the same plane as his fastball. He's aggressive on the mound and really goes after hitters, though he could stand to reel in his emotions a little more. "He seemed to have an excellent feel for getting hitters out," Gale said. "He had strikeout stuff versus both righthanded batters and lefthanded batters. He can throw that curveball to anybody, same thing with the fastball."
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  Ranked Pioneer League #13 prospect in 2004
  One of seven players from South Carolina's College World Series team to be drafted in 2004, Buckner was pitching himself into the first round before mononucleosis sidelined him for a month. He wasn't at full strength down the stretch, so the Royals were able to grab him in the second round. He made a better impression in the PL than either of Kansas City's first-round pitchers, lefties Matt Campbell and J.P. Howell. Buckner's top pitch is his curveball, a true 12-to-6 breaker that induces strikeouts. He also has a plus fastball that sits in the low 90s, and his changeup also is above average at times. Buckner aggressively throws strikes, though he needs to improve his location after PL opponents hit .317 against him.

• December, 2007 Scouting Report
  Buckner is the most advanced pitcher in the system, yet where he fits remains a bit of a question. He made 12 relief appearances in Triple-A so that he'd be better prepared for a callup, then worked primarily as a starter when he did join the Royals in late August. Like many pitchers getting their first taste of the majors, he didn't challenge hitters as aggressively as he did in the minors. Buckner mixes an 89-92 mph fastball with an above-average knuckle-curve and a changeup that could grade equally high down the road. Buckner's curve is his go-to pitch. He shows good arm action with his changeup, which he also uses as a strikeout pitch. When he's going good, he gets ahead with an easy two-seam fastball that has some sink or a four-seamer that moves away from righthanders to setup his offspeed pitches. His mechanics are sound. Buckner relied too much on his curve in college, and as a result he has an underdeveloped fastball. He needs better command of his heater to reach his potential. He didn't establish his curveball and changeup in the majors as well as he did in the minors. At times, he tries to be too fine with his pitches. Buckner projects as a possible No. 3 starter if he can refine his fastball command. The Royals would like him to earn a big league rotation job in spring training.