Troy Patton Stats & Scouting Report

IP	169
ERA	3.249
WHIP	1.166
BB/9	2.29
SO/9	7.189

Full name Troy Jamieson Patton
Born 09/03/1985 in Spring, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: S / Throws: L
School Tomball
Debut 08/25/2007
Drafted in the 9th round (274th overall) by the Houston Astros in 2004 (signed for $550,000).

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The ace of the high school team that was ranked No. 1 in the nation entering playoffs, Patton is very similar to J.P. Howell. He has one of the better curveballs in the draft and the main concern about him is his durability because he's 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds. Both have been dominant all spring. While Patton hasn't proven himself at the college level like Howell has, he does have a superior fastball, pitching at 88-92 mph with movement and command. He used that repertoire to go 10-0, 0.65 with 120 strikeouts in 64 innings. He's another member of a stellar Longhorns recruiting class but figures to sign as a second-round choice.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

When the Orioles unloaded Miguel Tejada to the Astros after the 2007 season, Patton was regarded as major league-ready and the most promising of the five players they got in return. But he dealt with shoulder problems that spring and had surgery to repair a labrum tear, missing all of 2008. When he returned last year, Baltimore's only real goal was to have him complete a healthy season, which he did by compiling 108 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. He dominated at Bowie but seemed to wear down at Norfolk, and his command wasn't sharp enough to get Triple-A hitters out consistently. Getting his pinpoint command back is the most important part of Patton's recovery, as he has always relied on moving his pitches around and keeping hitters off balance. The Orioles thought his command was good for his first year back. He pitches in the low 90s with his four-seam fastball and the high 80s with his two-seamer, and he also uses a slider and changeup. The Orioles expect to get their first real look at Patton this year, and he'll open the season in Triple-A with the expectation that he'll contribute in the big leagues at some point.
Patton was a key part of the five-player package the Astros traded for Miguel Tejada in December 2007. Patton tried to rehab a sore shoulder during the offseason but got shut down with shoulder pain early in spring training, opting for surgery to repair a small labrum tear in March. When healthy, Patton offers solid stuff and strong command from the left side. He throws a four-seam fastball in the low 90s, touching 94 mph, and a two-seamer in the high 80s, complementing them with a slider and changeup. He has little margin for error, but his command and moxie allow his stuff to play up. Shoulder surgery is always worrisome for a pitcher, but Patton wasn't a power pitcher and the reports from his rehabilitation have been positive. He threw off flat ground in the late summer and was back on the mound in September, first throwing bullpens and then simulated games during instructional league. Patton's arm strength is back and Orioles officials say he looks free and easy, so he'll pitch without restrictions in spring training after taking the winter off. A successful return would be a boost for the major league rotation, though he may need some time in Triple-A first.
The Astros spent $900,000 in 2004 to lure Patton away from a Texas scholarship, and he made his big league debut with Houston at age 21 in August. The Orioles then acquired him and four other players in a December deal for Miguel Tejada. Patton enhances his solid stuff with outstanding command. He can touch 94 mph with his four-seam fastball and gets good sink on a two-seamer that sits in the high 80s. He has ditched a slow curveball he used in high school for a slider that he runs in on righthanders. He isn't afraid to use his changeup, which has nice fade. Patton has had minor shoulder issues for three straight seasons. He'll drop down to give batters another look, though that often causes his pitches to flatten out and hang in the strike zone. He likes to challenge hitters inside, which is good, but he has little margin for error. Patton should be healthy for spring training and is expected to crack Baltimore's rotation right away. His upside is as a No. 3 starter at best, but he's also a pretty safe bet to reach his ceiling.
After the commissioner's office talked owner Drayton McLane out of signing 2003 third-round pick Drew Stubbs for $900,000, MLB didn't bat an eye when the Astros Patton (also set to attend the University of Texas) the same amount as a ninth-rounder a year later. Patton is a lefthander with stuff, savvy and moxie. He runs his fastball from 89-94 mph, generates exceptional life at times and easily gets inside on righthanders with it. His changeup improved significantly last year and has nice fade. His hard curveball was his top pitch in high school but now ranks as his third pitch. He's athletic and repeats his compact delivery well. Patton likes to drop down when he throws his curve, making it difficult to stay on top of the pitch and alerting hitters that it's coming. He had minor shoulder fatigue in each of the last two seasons, resulting in diminished mechanics and command. For someone who can command the outside corner, he pounds the inner half too much. Once he adds strength and consistency, Patton will be ready for the big leagues and could grow into a No. 2 starter. He'll probably open 2007 in Triple-A.
Considered a tough sign after committing to the University of Texas, Patton turned pro for $550,000--easily the highest bonus in 2004's ninth round. In his first full season, he set a low Class A Lexington record with 32 straight scoreless innings, pitched in the Futures Game and reached high Class A. Patton can get strikes with his power curveball both by throwing it over the plate or by getting hitters to chase it out of the strike zone. He also can locate his 90-94 mph fastball all over the zone, and it has average life. He has very good control and a nasty competitive streak. Patton needs to get stronger and battled some mild shoulder tendinitis in 2005. He must improve the command of his changeup, which lags partly because he doesn't use it enough. His arm slot tends to wander, and he flattens out his curve when he gets under it. There's debate within the Astros' front office as to whether Jason Hirsh or Patton is the system's top prospect. Patton isn't as polished or as physical, but he's lefthanded and 31⁄2 years younger. He could open 2006 in Double-A at age 20.
Patton was the ace of a Tomball High team that ranked No. 1 in the nation last spring before losing in the Texas 5-A playoffs. Pro clubs thought he was headed to the University of Texas but the Astros signed him for $550,000, by far the highest bonus in the ninth round. Patton's curveball was one of the best in the 2004 draft. He sets it up by throwing his 90-94 mph fastball to all four quadrants of the strike zone. He has an advanced feel for his changeup and for throwing strikes, which could allow him to develop quickly. He has an intellectual curiosity about pitching, trying to pick up a cutter on his own during instructional league. Patton's one obvious flaw is his inability to maintain a consistent arm slot. When he drops down, he loses velocity on his pitches and some crispness on his curve. Like most young pitchers, he needs additional work on his changeup. In addition to his stuff and pitchability, Patton stands out because the system lacks lefthanded pitching prospects. He'll start his first full season in low Class A and shouldn't need a full season at each level.

Minor League Top Prospects

Patton spent the first half of the season in Double-A and required just eight Triple-A starts before he was thrust into Houston's rotation in August. The Astros turned to him not because he had blown away PCL batters, but because he shows exceptional poise for a young pitcher. After three effective appearances in Houston, he was shut down with shoulder soreness, which cut short his two previous seasons as well. With command of three pitches and a strong pickoff move, Patton has the ingredients to be a solid No. 3 starter. He locates his 88-92 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and has confidence in his hard curveball. Patton has made the greatest strides with his changeup, which fades down and away from righthanders.
Like Hurley, Patton returned to the Texas League after getting a handful of starts there at the end of 2006. And like Hurley, he moved on to Triple-A at midseason, though Patton kept it going and made his major league debut at the end of August. He was shut down in September with shoulder tenderness, but doctors found no structural problems and Patton should be able to compete for a big league job in the spring. Patton is more of a mid-rotation starter than the pitchers who rank ahead of him on this list. He makes up for stuff that may be a tick behind the others' with a fierce competitive spirit and deceptive delivery. He works in the low 90s most of the time, with a slider and changeup that he used more effectively in his later starts. Patton hides the ball well, turning his back on hitters a little bit and throwing from almost a low three-quarters slot. His pitches get on hitters quick. "There are not a whole lot of balls squared up on him," Clark said.
Patton battled minor shoulder tendinitis when he arrived in Salem during the second half last year, and he had difficulty early in 2006 with a tired arm. That led to poor mechanics, as he'd fly open in his delivery and his arm would drag behind his body, which in turn cost him command. He ironed things out by May and won his last six starts to earn a promotion to Double-A, showing why he's one of the better lefthanded pitching prospects in the game. His best pitch is a hard curveball that he can throw over the plate for strikes or locate out the zone and get hitters to chase it. He works in the low 90s and tops out at 95 mph with his fastball, and he can overmatch righties with his command of the inner half of the plate. While his changeup showed flashes of improvement, it still grades out as below average.
Patton won just six games in two Class A stops, but his 2.18 overall ERA ranked fifth in the minors in his first full pro season. While he lacks ideal size, he has clean mechanics and two plus pitches: a 90-94 mph fastball with average life, and a power curveball he can throw for strikes or bury in the dirt when he's ahead in the count. Just as impressive, Patton has a mean streak that helps him. He's not afraid to pitch inside with his fastball and has competitiveness to spare. His changeup remains his third pitch, but he commands his fastball and curve enough now that he could be a No. 2 or 3 starter with maybe an average change.
Patton drew comparisons to fellow 2004 draftee Gonzalez because each is small in stature but big on stuff. Projected to go as early as the second round, Patton dropped to the ninth because of signability questions. He turned pro for $550,000, easily the largest bonus in the ninth round this year. Patton throws his fastball around 90 mph and works it to both sides of the plate. He aggressively goes after hitters and is especially tough on lefties because of his low three-quarters arm slot. Patton's curveball was considered one of the best in the draft. He throws two versions of it, and Appy managers thought he'd be better off scrapping the slower, loopier version to concentrate on refining his harder breaking ball. He didn't throw his changeup much in game action, but it was solid in bullpen sessions.