Scott Olsen Stats & Scouting Report

IP	723
ERA	4.855
WHIP	1.479
BB/9	3.622
SO/9	6.573

Full name Scott M. Olsen
Born 01/12/1984 in Kalamazoo, MI
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Crystal Lake South
Debut 06/25/2005
Drafted in the 6th round (173rd overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2002.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Considered a project out of high school, Olsen cost just $160,000 in bonus money. Jeff Schwarz, his pitching coach in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, made a few mechanical adjustments and soon Olsen was roaring through the system. He pitches at 91-93 mph and tops out in the mid-90s. His fastball has late life and he has shown a vicious slider at times. It tends to drop straight down like a changeup or a split when it's really on. He has a bulldog demeanor. Olsen tends to overthrow when he gets in trouble and still needs to learn when to subtract velocity instead of adding it. He has gotten better at controlling his emotions and has packed more muscle on his naturally slight frame, but he can improve further in both areas. Shut down for the final six weeks of the season with elbow inflammation, Olsen is expected to be fine in spring training. He will compete for a spot at the back end of a rotation that must be rebuilt after Florida's fire sale.
Olsen was relatively unknown and had mechanical problems in high school, so the Marlins got him in the sixth round and signed him for $160,000. Jeff Schwarz, his pitching coach in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, smoothed him out in his pro debut, and now he's one of the game's top lefty prospects. Olsen continues to increase his velocity, and he now pitches at 91-93 mph and tops out at 96. His fastball has late life and he has tightened his slider to give it more depth. He's learning to use his slider as an out pitch. He's confident and aggressive, with a bit of a mean streak. Olsen has a tendency to leave his fastball up in the zone and he needs to use his changeup much more than he's willing to now. His slight frame could use another 15-20 pounds of muscle. He needs to add maturity and learn to control his emotions better on the mound. For the second straight year, Olsen finished strong. He went 3-0, 0.78 in his final six starts at high Class A Jupiter, showing he's ready for Double-A. He could land in the majors as soon as he shows he's ready.
Scot Engler was the Marlins' 2002 scout of the year, and Olsen had a little something to do with that. Relatively unknown in high school, Olsen signed for $160,000 as a tall, projectable lefty with a loose arm and an easy delivery. He threw across his body and fell off toward third base, but Rookie-level Gulf Coast League pitching coach Jeff Schwarz got him pointed in the right direction. Olsen pitched at 90-92 mph and topped out at 94, about 3 mph higher than he did in his first pro season. He's aggressive, competitive and receptive to teaching. He has a bit of a mean streak, too, glaring at opposing hitters from the mound. He admires Randy Johnson and wears the same No. 51. His slider went from average early in the year to a plus pitch by the second half after he shelved his curveball. His command also took over after the break. Olsen has a slight frame that could stand another 15-20 pounds of muscle. He needs to add maturity and improve his changeup. After turning it up in the second half, Olsen should start the year in high Class A. A midyear promotion to Double-A would surprise no one.
Olsen flew into the system under the radar, lasting until the sixth round when the Marlins nabbed him on the recommendation of Scot Engler, their scout of the year. Olsen, who signed for $146,000, is a tall, projectable lefty with a loose arm and an easy delivery. He has a skinny frame that could stand to add another 15-20 pounds. He had some mechanical problems in high school, especially throwing across his body and falling off toward third base, but minor league pitching coach Jeff Schwarz fixed him in a hurry. Olsen wowed the Marlins during instructional league. He tops out at 91 mph with good sink but projects to add velocity. His slider is decent and his changeup already has gone from below average to average. In time he could have three plus pitches. Olsen still must improve his emotional maturity, overall command and his breaking ball, but there's a lot to like about him.

Minor League Top Prospects

Before elbow inflammation caused the Marlins to shut him down in late July, Olsen had made his major league debut and looked promising in five appearances filling in for the injured Josh Beckett. Olsen was somewhat inconsistent in the SL, but his power arm and aggressive approach were evident. Olsen's best pitch is a 92-94 mph fastball that tops out at 96 with late life. His slider has good depth, though he needs to throw his changeup more if he plans on a career as a big leaguer. Getting stronger also would help. "The way he attacked the zone, he stuck it to us," Dickerson said. "He's a live-armed lefty, he works both side of the plate and throws all his pitches for strikes. He's always working ahead, not afraid to attack hitters.
While Olsen's stuff compares favorably to Kazmir's, he hasn't gotten nearly the hype, probably because he wasn't a first-round pick and wasn't drafted by a New York-based club. Olsen has a smooth arm action that produces 90-95 mph fastballs, and he can be unhittable when his command is on. He gave up just one earned run over 31 innings in his final five starts, fanning 42 in that span to win the FSL strikeout title with 158. Olsen's fastball was there all year. In the second half, he improved the consistency of his slider and refined his developing changeup. When he's a finished product, he could have two plus pitches and an average third pitch. He struggled at times to repeat his delivery, reminding scouts and managers that he's still young and has few innings under his belt. But Olsen could be a future rotation ace if he matures and continues to add polish.
Marlins director of player personnel Dan Jennings called Olsen the steal of the 2002 draft after seeing him deal in instructional league last fall. That was lofty praise for a sixth-rounder with just 52 Rookie-ball innings. Olsen, who earned the nickname "Little Unit" from his teammates for idolizing Randy Johnson, justified the hype by finishing among the league leaders in ERA, while improving throughout the season. Olsen has a free and easy arm and was clocked between 89-94 mph, and he made impressive strides with his command and maturity. He works aggressively to both sides of the plate and keeps the ball down. He gave up just four home runs, and none in his final 15 starts. He has a second plus pitch in his 81 mph slider, though he needs to develop a better changeup.