Neal Musser Stats & Scouting Report

IP	25
ERA	4.32
WHIP	1.88
BB/9	5.4
SO/9	6.84

Full name Neal Gordon Musser
Born 08/25/1980 in Otterbein, IN
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Benton Central
Debut 04/21/2007
Drafted in the 2nd round (73rd overall) by the New York Mets in 1999 (signed for $725,000).

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Indiana high schools have produced their share of first-round picks in the '90s, but the ranks are thinner this year. The exception is LHP Neal Musser, who has made a late run at the first round. He has an average fastball, in the 87-90-mph range, and above-average control of three pitches. The big question about Musser is his size--he stands barely 6 feet tall.

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The Mets had visions of the next Tom Glavine when they drafted Musser with the 73rd overall pick in 1999, but a variety of injuries and control problems limited his development and they finally released him following the 2005 season. The Royals signed Musser following his brief stint with the Diamondbacks and moved him to the bullpen, a role in which he has thrived. His strong 2006 Arizona Fall League performance prompted Kansas City to add him to the 40-man roster. Musser earned big league promotions three times in 2007, the last ending when he broke his right hand punching a chair in the clubhouse after giving up a game-winning run. He recovered in time to help Team USA win gold in the World Cup. Rather than focus on conserving energy as a starter, Musser lets it all out in each relief appearance and has seen his fastball velocity increase from 88-92 mph to 92-95. Musser dominated as a Triple-A reliever and didn't give up an earned run until his 27th appearance. He pitches exclusively out of the stretch and displays a lively fastball that tails late from a three-quarters arm slot. His go-to pitch is a slider that has some width and depth and that he can control down in the zone. He's added a cut fastball and his changeup is serviceable. Musser should make the big league team out of spring training as the first or second reliever out of the bullpen.
Musser missed much of 2002 with a stress fracture in his left foot that occurred during the 2001 season. He made three starts at St. Lucie in April, four more at short-season Brooklyn and another in high Class A in July, then was shut down after totaling just 28 innings. He returned to pitch in relief in the Arizona Fall League, though he wasn't nearly as effective as he had been in the minors. The Mets' top pick (second round) in 1999, Musser has a 2.53 career ERA but hasn't been durable, making just 49 appearances in 31⁄2 seasons. He succeeds by getting ahead of hitters, and his command has improved immensely since he turned pro. His fastball is average but he locates it well. His changeup is his most effective pitch, while his curveball continues to show more consistency and depth. If he could stay healthy, Musser could move fast through the minors. A jump to Double-A this spring is a strong possibility.
Musser boosted his stock as much as any pitcher in the Mets system in 2001. After working just 66 innings in two years, in part because his weightlifting routine left him stiff and tight, he worked a solid 141 innings between Capital City and St. Lucie. Musser throws an average fastball and a good changeup, and he has started to show more consistency with his curveball. He has made impressive strides with his command and works ahead of hitters on a regular basis. Some still wonder about Musser's durability. He's not particularly big or strong, and he barely averaged five innings a start after his promotion to high Class A. It may have just been an anomaly, but Musser started slowly in 2001. His ERA was 5.96 in the first inning of his starts. Musser probably will return to St. Lucie to begin 2002, with a promotion to Binghamton a strong possibility later in the season. He'll shoot up the prospect list if he continues to progress as rapidly as he did in 2001.
Like Jake Joseph, Musser overdid his weightlifting last offseason. He was just beyond the guidelines the Mets had set for him, which contributed to a pulled ribcage and strained elbow in his second pro season. His development hasn't gone quite as fast as New York hoped when it made him their initial selection (second round) in the 1999 draft, but he still has a live arm and plenty or promise. Musser has an average fastball and the makings of a plus changeup. When he's healthy, his curveball also works well. There's some question about his size and durability. While he's listed at 6-foot-2, he's really closer to 6 feet and has worked just 66 innings in two years. If he's 100 percent in the spring, he could open 2001 in Capital City.