Bobby Livingston

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #18 prospect in 2006
  At this point, the low-90s fastball Livingston showed as a high school senior isn't going to come back. His velocity dropped to 86-87 mph before the 2001 draft, and it hasn't gotten any better. But Livingston hasn't needed to be able to throw the ball by hitters to thrive. In 2005, he led the Texas League in ERA and won six of his 10 Triple-A starts. He got knocked around in the Pacific Coast League at first, but allowed five runs over his final four starts and fanned a career-high 14 in his last outing. Seattle placed him on its 40-man roster during the offseason, though scouts remain skeptical as to whether Livingston can succeed in the majors. At times his fastball drops to 82-85 mph, though he enhances it with good sink and even better command. No pitcher in the system locates his pitches as well as Livingston. He also throws a curveball and a changeup, and he'll use a cutter against righthanders. None of his pitches is close to special, but he's a strike machine with tremendous feel for his craft. The Mariners love finesse lefties (see Jamie Moyer), but they've seen lefties such as Craig Anderson and Travis Blackley succeed in the lower minors and falter at the top. Livingston likely will open 2006 in Triple-A and should get his first big league opportunity later in the year.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #22 prospect in 2005
  Livingston is an enigma, but a successful one at that. He had a low-90s fastball as a high school senior in 2001, but his velocity dropped to 86-87 mph before the draft and never has come back. Though he now pitches at 86-87 mph and rarely cracks 90 mph, Livingston nevertheless has been successful. He has been his team's pitcher of the year the last two years, setting a Wisconsin record with 15 victories in 2003 and leading the California League in innings pitched in 2004. He has the best command and might be the most competitive pitcher in the farm system, allowing him to win with marginal stuff. Livingston has good sink on his fastball, throws his curveball and changeup for strikes and has developed a cutter to use against righthanders. His willingness to use any pitch in any count helps him keep batters off balance. Livingston doesn't have much margin for error and whether he has enough stuff to succeed at upper levels remains to be seen, but he's an organization favorite and the Mariners want to find out. His next challenge will come in Double-A.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #28 prospect in 2004
  Livingston threw in the low 90s early in his senior season of high school and had a chance to go late in the first round or early in the second. His velocity dipped to 86-87 before the draft, however, so the Mariners were able to take him in the fourth. While he's projectable at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, his fastball has inexplicably regressed. Livingston pitched anywhere from 81-87 mph in 2003. One Midwest League scout gave his fastball a 35 on the 20- 80 scale for velocity, but 55 for sink and command. He's more concerned with location than radar guns. His changeup is a plus pitch, and between his curveball and slider he should come up with an average breaking ball. He's extremely poised and fearless. He doesn't miss as many bats as fellow finesse lefties Travis Blackley, Ryan Ketchner, Troy Cate and Glenn Bott, so Livingston probably will have to regain at least a little velocity to succeed at the upper levels. The hitter-friendly California League will test his pitchability in 2004.
• 
  Ranked Seattle Mariners #27 prospect in 2003
  Livingston threw in the low 90s as a high school senior, earning a Major League Scouting Bureau grade that trailed only 100 mph fastballer Colt Griffin among Texas prepsters in March 2001. His velocity dipped to 86-87 mph before the draft, though. Combined with his commitment to Texas Tech and some makeup concerns, it allowed the Mariners to get him in the fourth round. Livingston pitched mainly in the upper 80s during his pro debut last year. He has such a loose arm and projectable frame that he could get back up to the low 90s as he matures. While his fastball, slider, changeup and command still need development, Livingston pitched well for a 19-year-old in the Northwest League. He got better as the summer wore on, posting a 2.08 ERA and 33-4 strikeout-walk ratio over his final six starts. His awkward, deceptive delivery confuses hitters and he has the potential to have average to plus stuff across the board. He'll pitch in low Class A this season.