Daniel Stange

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #12 prospect in 2009
  In a system that has been thinned out by graduation and trades, Stange provides the kind of power tools that have become fewer and farther between. He was drafted by the Braves out of high school in 2003 but headed to UC Riverside instead and became the closer there, and Arizona kept him in the role after drafting him in 2006. He was on the fast track but got derailed by Tommy John surgery in August 2007. Stange has the power arm and mentality to pitch at the back of a major league bullpen, with a fastball that can touch 99 but usually sits in the mid-90s as well as a slider that's a swing-and-miss pitch. He returned to action last June, dominating low Class A batters, and by the end of the summer he was touching 93 again. It was Stange's violent delivery that got him sent to the bullpen in the first place, so the Diamondbacks are working with him to tone it down enough to keep him healthy without costing him any life on his pitches. He'll have to sharpen his command as he moves up and returns to full strength. Arizona says Stange is getting close to where he was before he was hurt, and he had reached Double-A at that point, so he should head back there if he still looks good in spring training. If he's healthy and effective, he could move up quickly.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #15 prospect in 2008
  Stange was a 33rd-round pick of the Braves coming out of a California high school in 2003, but he didn't sign and instead ended up at UC Riverside, where he became the closer by his junior season. The Diamondbacks drafted him in 2006 and he looked to be on the fast track as a reliever until he got hurt in 2007. He opened the season as the closer in high Class A and saved 16 games before earning a promotion to Double-A in mid-July. He made just five appearances there before getting shut down, then had Tommy John surgery in August. When healthy, Stange has the body and power stuff to pitch at the back of a big league bullpen. He throws his lively fastball at 93-97 mph and can touch 99, and his slider may be an even better pitch. He also has the mentality to take the ball at the end of the game and go right at hitters. Stange throws from a low three-quarters slot, and it was his violent delivery that sent him to the bullpen in the first place. He may have to tone it down to stay healthy. Aside from returning to health, he'll need to refine his command as he moves up. Stange will begin throwing by midsummer but probably won't see any meaningful action until the 2009 season.
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  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #23 prospect in 2007
  The Diamondbacks showed a definite affinity for big, strong, physical college pitchers under former scouting director Mike Rizzo, particularly in a 2006 draft designed to restock the system's pitching supply. Of that crop, Stange could be the most intriguing. He compiled 11 saves as UC Riverside's closer last spring, and the Diamondbacks took him in the seventh round and signed him for $115,000 because of his big body and bigger fastball. He led the Pioneer League with 13 saves while pitching at 90-96 mph, then followed that by hitting as high as 99 during instructional league, so he could move up fast. He also throws a good slider and average changeup, and all his pitches have good life. Stange has a violent delivery with a head jerk that precludes him from starting, but he seems better suited to a relief role anyway. He needs to establish more consistent fastball command and will have to improve his secondary pitches as he moves up. Stange will open the season as the closer in low Class A.