Daniel McCutchen

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #21 prospect in 2010
  One of four players acquired from the Yankees in a July 2008 trade for Damaso Marte and Xavier Nady, McCutchen failed in his bid to win a big league rotation spot in spring training last year. He responded by leading the International League in wins and earning a September callup. Originally scheduled to pitch for the United States in the World Cup, he made six outings for the Pirates, turning in four quality starts and beating the Reds for his first big league win. McCutchen succeeds by throwing strikes with a three-pitch arsenal. He throws his four-seam fastball at 90-93 mph and also has a hard curveball and a much-improved changeup. An extreme flyball pitcher throughout his pro career, he allowed six homers in 36 major league innings. He's almost around the plate too much and doesn't have a true swing-and-miss pitch. McCutchen is what he is, a 27-year-old who projects as a No. 4 or 5 starter, but he should open 2010 in Pittsburgh's rotation.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #9 prospect in 2009
  One of four players acquired from the Yankees in the late-July trade for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte, McCutchen spent part of September with the major league club but didn't get activated. The Pirates didn't want to have to place him on the 40-man roster and wanted him to rest after pitching 171 innings in the minors. McCutchen has good control of a three-pitch arsenal and has averaged a mere 2.0 walks per nine innings as a pro. His best pitch is a fastball that sits at 90-91 mph and occasionally reaches 93. He also has a hard curveball that breaks quickly, almost like a slider. McCutchen still needs to work on his command. He's hittable and prone to giving up homers--he surrendered 12 in 48 innings after the trade--because he sometimes catches too much of the plate with his fastball. His changeup is just serviceable and could use more polish. McCutchen doesn't have a lot left to prove in the minors and will compete for a spot in Pittsburgh's rotation during spring training. He eventually should become a No. 3 or No. 4 starter in the majors.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #14 prospect in 2008
  The Yankees love McCutchen's competitiveness and stuff, and were willing to believe his claims about the 50-game suspension he drew for violating MLB's performance-enhancing drug policy shortly after signing in 2006. He blamed the positive test on ephedra contained in a prescription drug he took during his college career at Oklahoma. With that behind him, he ranked second in the system with 14 wins and a 2.47 ERA in 2007, and he won two starts (including the championship clincher) in the Eastern League playoffs. McCutchen pitches aggressively, which shows in his delivery at times and in his mound demeanor. The Yankees have worked to tone him down somewhat, and his velocity hardly suffered, as he still sat in the low 90s with his four-seam fastball (which hits 94) and was around 89-91 mph with his two-seamer. McCutchen's best pitch remains his overhand curveball, and he has gained confidence in his tailing, fading changeup. Some in the organization want to channel his aggressiveness into the bullpen, believing his stuff will play up as was the case with Ross Ohlendorf. But others see McCutchen as having more value as a No. 3 or 4 starter role. He'll likely begin the year back in the Double-A rotation, with an outside shot of breaking camp in Triple-A.
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  Ranked New York Yankees #30 prospect in 2007
  Most organizations wouldn't be as happy with a player who ran afoul of baseball's performance- enhancing drugs policy in his pro debut. But the Yankees love McCutchen's stuff and attitude, and they believe his contention that his positive test resulted from ephedra in a prescription drug he took during his career at Oklahoma. He became the Sooners' ace as a fifth-year senior in 2006, ranking third in NCAA Division I with 149 innings. In that respect, McCutchen's 50-game suspension didn't hurt too badly, because the time off was good for him. During his brief pro debut, he showed good control of four pitches. He works at 90-92 mph with both a two-seam fastball and a four-seamer, and he hits 94-95 at times with the latter. He also has a plus curveball he throws with power in the low 80s, as well as a changeup with late tail and sink. The Yankees want to smooth out his delivery, which had plenty of effort in his college days, and get all that energy going toward home plate. He had elbow problems at Grayson County (Texas) CC, and while he was healthy at Oklahoma, his college career lasted five years. At age 24, he has just 29 innings of pro experience. While McCutchen has a chance to start, he also could move quickly as a middle reliever--once his suspension is over. After he serves the final 23 games, he could open 2007 in high Class A.