Dexter Carter Stats & Scouting Report

IP	371
ERA	4.755
WHIP	1.372
BB/9	3.493
SO/9	9.34

Full name Dexter Carter
Born 02/05/1987 in Franklin, VA
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Old Dominion
Drafted in the 13th round (390th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2008.

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Dexter Carter opened the season as the Sunday starter, but command trouble limited his work and relegated him to the bullpen. Carter was a 12th-round pick of the Rangers in 2005 coming out of high school, and his 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame and live arm still give scouts plenty to dream on. His fastball has touched 97 and he pitches around 92 mph. Carter's slider can also be a plus pitch, but like his fastball is inconsistent.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After posting an 8.76 ERA as an Old Dominion junior, Carter lasted 13 rounds in the 2008 draft and signed with the White Sox for $32,500. He led the Rookie-level Pioneer League with a 2.23 ERA in his pro debut, helping Great Falls to the league title. He continued to dominate in low Class A last season, averaging 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings before the White Sox traded him, Aaron Poreda, Clayton Richard and Adam Russell to the Padres for Jake Peavy in July. Carter got roughed up after the deal, though he still managed to rank fifth in the minors with 166 strikeouts. The Padres attributed his poor performance after the trade to a tendency to work uphill, causing his stuff flatten out. Carter's frame, raw arm strength and lean, loose delivery remained intact, so San Diego used instructional league to get him throwing downhill. He sits at 90-92 mph and touches 93 with his fastball. He flashes a strong curveball, but too often he doesn't locate his breaker in the strike zone. He has the same problem with his changeup. Destined for high Class A in 2010, Carter projects as a possible No. 3 starter if he can make the necessary adjustments.
After playing with Justin Upton at Greenbrier Christian Academy in Chesapeake, Va., Carter was a 12thround pick of the Rangers out of high school in 2005. He opted to go the college route but then got somewhat lost. He posted an 8.76 ERA and walked nearly a batter per inning in 2008, but the White Sox saw enough potential to draft him it the 13th round. Now he looks like a $32,500 bargain after he led the Pioneer League with a 2.23 ERA and combined with former Old Dominion teammate Dan Hudson to pitch Great Falls to the league title. Carter posted eye-popping numbers in the hitter-friendly circuit, thanks to two plus pitches: a lively 92-93 mph fastball that peaks at 96, and a swing-and-miss curveball. Both his breaking ball and his control were much more consistent than they were in college, the result of working with White Sox coaches to refine his delivery. Carter got on a straighter line to the plate and developed a more consistent landing point. His changeup lags behind his other two pitches but has some potential. He's athletic and his big frame allows him to work on a good downward plane. Carter must show he can repeat his success in a full-season league but projects as a possible middle-of-the-rotation starter or more. He could reach high Class A in 2009 if he continues to thrive.

Minor League Top Prospects

Carter didn't have much success at Old Dominion because of control problems, but he led the Rookie-level Pioneer League in ERA (2.23) in his pro debut and ranked first in the SAL in strikeouts (143 in 118 innings) before the White Sox included him in the Jake Peavy trade with the Padres. Carter sits at 90-92 mph with his fastball and can touch the mid-90s, putting a little something extra on his heater when he needs to. Managers rated his sharp 76-80 mph curveball as the best breaking ball in the league, and he's willing to throw it in any count. He also mixes in a 78-80 mph changeup, mostly against lefthanders, and he has experimented with different grips and velocities on the pitch. Because he's 6-foot-6, Carter looks like he's on top of hitters when he releases the ball. He pitches on a straight line to the plate with little wasted motion.
Carter had a disastrous junior season at Old Dominion, posting an 8.76 ERA and walking nearly a batter per inning. After drafting him in the 14th round, the White Sox made some minor tweaks to his delivery, giving him a more consistent landing point and getting him on a straighter line to the plate. The changes worked wonders, as he led the league with a 2.23 ERA and finished second to college and pro teammate Dan Hudson in the strikeout race with 89 in 69 innings. Lanky, loose and athletic, Carter has fine command of a lively 88-93 mph fastball. His high-70s curveball worked well for him this summer. His changeup is inconsistent at this point, but he has feel for it and could turn it into an average pitch in the future. Carter leverages his 6-foot-6 size well, getting good downward plane by coming almost straight over the top. While he was able to open up his delivery, he still throws somewhat across his body. "Whoever the scout was that drafted him needs to be given a bonus," Orem manager Tom Kotchman said, "because that's a heck of a 14th-round pick right there."