Jon Meloan Stats & Scouting Report

IP	17
ERA	4.765
WHIP	1.294
BB/9	5.824
SO/9	10.588

Full name Jonathan Michael Meloan
Born 07/11/1984 in Houston, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 225 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Arizona
Debut 09/01/2007
Drafted in the 5th round (166th overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2005 (signed for $155,000).

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As a hard-throwing high school senior in Houston in 2002, Meloan wasn't drafted even though he led area schools in strikeouts per inning and threw a 20-strikeout no-hitter, the third of his career. He managed to get lost in the shuffle in a year when the Houston prep ranks had a pitching class for the ages, producing first-rounders Clint Everts (Expos), Scott Kazmir (Mets) and James Loney (Dodgers, who developed him as a first baseman), along with projected 2005 first-rounder Mark McCormick, who would have been a first-rounder had he not been committed to attending college. Meloan's problem in high school was wildness. He would just as easily walk eight or nine hitters a game as strike out 16. He still averages a walk every two innings, but scouts say he's now effectively wild and over the last two years as the ace of the Wildcats staff, he has gone 18-2. He's always had good stuff and has four average, nearly equal offerings, including a 90-91 mph fastball that touches 93-94, along with a knuckle-curve, cutter and changeup. In 91 innings, he had 49 walks and 108 strikeouts. Meloan is well built for a pitcher, and scouts say he is almost too strong for his own good. If anything, he needs to work at losing weight to get lighter and looser.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Meloan went 27-2 as a starter in his last two seasons at Arizona, then spent most of his pro career as a reliever as he climbed quickly through the Dodgers system. Los Angeles put him back in the rotation last year at Triple-A, but he struggled and his control suffered. The Dodgers dealt him with catcher Carlos Santana to acquire Casey Blake in July, after which the Indians moved Meloan back to the bullpen. He's more ideally suited for relief because of his repertoire and the effort in his delivery. His fastball sat at 88-91 mph when he was a starter and jumped back to 92-95 when he returned to the bullpen. His heater flashes armside run and sink. His out pitch is a hard breaking ball. He also has a changeup and a cutter, but he works primarily with two pitches in relief. Meloan aggressively goes after hitters and has the makeup to pitch in the late innings. The Indians had one of the worst bullpens in the majors in 2008, and he has the stuff and opportunity to help upgrade the unit.
After going 27-2 as a starter in his last two years at Arizona, Meloan has become a dominant pro reliever with remarkable consistency. He spent the first half of 2007 dealing in Double-A before climbing to Triple-A and eventually Los Angeles. A ferocious competitor with championship makeup, Meloan has an aggressive approach to pitching, pounding the zone with four offerings. His 89-94 mph fastball and mid-80s slider are his bread and butter. His fastball has occasional plus sink. It shows armside run at times and he can cut it with action away from righthanders as well. His plus slider has tight spin and filthy bite. He also throws a curveball and changeup as complementary offerings. He gets ahead with his fastball and has above-average command. Meloan's tightly bound frame lacks looseness. His delivery has flaws, including recoil. He missed time in 2006 with elbow soreness, and his durability might determine his ultimate value. A potential power set-up man with the consistency managers love, Meloan will report to spring training with an opportunity to win a role in the Los Angeles bullpen. The Dodgers have been pleased with his resiliency, and they've discussed moving him back to the rotation if he returns to Triple-A.
Assistant GM Logan White first saw Meloan when he was a high school senior in 2002 and went up against Loney. Meloan's stuff wasn't overly impressive, but the fact he was pitching with a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee left an impression. Meloan signed for $155,000 after going 27-2 in his final two years at Arizona. He works primarily off a 92-94 mph fastball and mid-80s slider, which has been up to 88. He also has feel for a curveball and changeup, which are passable pitches. He has above-average fastball command and locates his secondary stuff well. Meloan has a ripped physique that lacks looseness. His max-effort delivery features some recoil, a huge red flag. Because of his mechanics and his heavy college workload, the Dodgers wisely limited his innings in 2006. He had elbow soreness during spring training, though an MRI in the offseason found nothing to cause alarm. After impressing scouts in the Arizona Fall League, Meloan could arrive quickly in Los Angeles as a setup man. His health and durability ultimately will determine his value. He'll likely open 2007 in Triple-A.

Minor League Top Prospects

After a dominant season in 2006, Meloan spent the first half of 2007 as Jacksonville's closer before climbing to Triple-A and the majors. Managers rated him the league's best reliever and he has the makings of a valuable late-inning man in the big leagues. Meloan has two speeds--hard and harder--and a tenacious attitude. He works primarily off an 89-94 mph fastball and a mid-80s slider that has touched 89. He also has feel for a curveball and changeup, but his slider and above-average command are his ticket. Meloan attacks both sides of the plate and pitches ahead in the count. His delivery is rigid and lacks fluidity, but he has shown resilience since arm soreness arose shortly after he was drafted in 2005.