Steve Colyer
| IP | 55 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 5.073 |
| WHIP | 1.836 |
| BB/9 | 6.055 |
| SO/9 | 8.345 |
- Full name Stephen Edward Colyer
- Born 02/22/1979 in St. Louis, MO
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School St. Louis CC-Meramec
- Debut 04/03/2003
- Drafted in the 2nd round (83rd overall) by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Dodgers had two of the worst consecutive drafts ever in 1997-98, and Colyer is all they have to show for a '97 effort that started with first-rounder Glenn Davis and unsigned second-rounder Chase Utley. Colyer spent four years in Class A as a starter, showing little hope of harnessing his overpowering arsenal until he moved to the bullpen in 2002. His aggressive delivery and linebacker-like approach are best suited for a late-inning role. He generates explosive life on his fastball, which is one of the best in the organization at 93-98 mph. His hard slider gives him a second weapon with which to attack hitters, but command is still an issue. Colyer was impressive in big league camp last year, fanning 13 in 10 innings before Tom Martin beat him out for the lefty set-up job. Colyer rode the Las Vegas-Los Angeles shuttle five times last year, and was inexplicably left to sit in the Dodgers bullpen for two weeks in July without making an appearance before he was sent back to Triple-A. Colyer should join Martin in the big league bullpen this year, and he could close out games in the future if he figures out the importance of throwing strikes. -
After spending the first four years of his career primarily as a starter, Colyer's aggressive mound presence and power arsenal prompted his move to the bullpen last year--as did his lack of control. Along with Colyer, the Dodgers have cultivated a promising group of lefthanded bullpen arms in the upper levels including Derek Thompson, Orlando Rodriguez, Victor Alvarez, Rick Roberts and 2002 15th-rounder Eric Stults. Colyer has the best arm strength of the group and one of the best fastballs in the system. He pitched at 94-96 mph in every outing last year, maxing out at 97 with explosive late life. His feel for the strike zone is limited because he has a full-effort delivery that's hard to repeat. Colyer flashes a solidaverage slider, but it's inconsistent because his release point is as well. He has the ideal mentality to pitch in tough late-inning situations, and not many lefthanders in baseball can match his pure velocity. He just needs the command to go with it. He'll move up to Triple- A this year. -
The Dodgers' 1997 draft was one of the worst in recent memory--not just for them but for any team. Of the players they've signed and solely developed, only Colyer has a legitimate chance to reach the majors. And for the second straight year, he experienced an inconsistent season as a starter in high Class A. Colyer would blow hitters away with his 95-mph fastball one game, only to come back five days later and have trouble finding the strike zone. Despite his difficulties, the Dodgers still view Colyer as a potential lefty set-up man in the majors. His overhand curveball gives him a second plus pitch, but he has had trouble throwing a changeup. Besides his command and changeup, he's also inconsistent with his mental approach and maturity. Colyer will try to make the necessary refinements in Double-A in 2002. -
After putting together two solid years in the minors that had him ranked ninth in the organization entering 2000, Colyer struggled last season. He had difficulty once again with his control, relegating him to bullpen duty at midseason. He posted a 5.76 ERA in a league that generally favors pitchers. While Colyer would have benefited from being able to report to a low Class A league, he did show two plus pitches in a mid-90s fastball and an overhand curveball. He's continuing to work on his changeup, but it has yet to develop into an average offering. Colyer is his own worst enemy with his inconsistent approach and overall lack of maturity. There continues to be a strong movement within the organization to move the strong-armed Colyer to the bullpen permanently. The hope remains for him to discover some consistency this year in Double-A. -
Background: The Dodgers drafted Colyer in the second round in 1997 and signed him last May for a $650,000 bonus--slightly more than he had turned down the previous year. He was the highest pick from the '97 draft who spent last spring in junior college. Strengths: Colyer has a pure power arm. He can overmatch hitters with a 94-95 mph fastball or freeze them with a hard-biting curveball. The Dodgers were thrilled with the progress he made last summer in throwing both pitches for strikes. Weaknesses: When Colyer was drafted, he weighed close to 240 pounds. But he worked hard in junior college and was in the 205-pound range when he signed. He still needs to improve his changeup and his command. The Future: With his improved conditioning and strong performance last summer, Colyer has started answering many of the questions scouts had about his future. Physically, he has the highest ceiling among all Dodgers prospects. Another strong year could find him at the top of this list.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Colyer had little success as a starter in the first four years of his pro career. He never picked up an effective changeup or threw strikes with regularity, leading to an 18-26, 4.77. Moving Colyer to the bullpen this year helped cure his woes. He was able to be aggressive rather than conservative, taking advantage of his overpowering 97 mph fastball. Not too many lefthanders can match that velocity. Colyer's overhand curveball gives him a second plus pitch, and he no longer needs to fret over his changeup. His control still isn't impeccable but isn't as much of an issue. He was especially harsh on lefthanders, allowing just one extra-base hit in 63 at-bats.
