Andrew Faulkner Stats & Scouting Report

IP	16
ERA	4.5
WHIP	1.438
BB/9	3.938
SO/9	6.188

Full name Andrew Michael Faulkner
Born 09/12/1992 in Bamberg, SC
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: L
School South Aiken
Debut 08/31/2015
Drafted in the 14th round (444th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2011 (signed for $125,000).

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Faulkner made his major league debut at the end of the 2015 season and pitched well for the Rangers over 11 relief outings. He made the Opening Day roster in 2016, but it ended up being a disappointing season for Faulkner. He stayed in Texas for two weeks, went down to Triple-A Round Rock for a month, returned to the major leagues for three appearances in May before going back to Triple-A the rest of the season, aside from one final scoreless inning in Oakland on Sept. 25. Faulkner's stuff backed up a bit from 2015, which resulted in less swing-and-miss and a lower strikeout rate. His fastball sits at 91-93 mph and touches 95. His crossfire delivery makes it difficult for lefties to pick up that pitch out of his hand. His slider and changeup--which he throws with a split-like grip--were both fringy pitches that didn't miss many bats, so he will have to sharpen his offspeed stuff. If Faulkner can do that, he has a future in middle relief, though he probably returns to Triple-A to begin 2017.
Faulkner put himself on to the prospect map in 2014, when he gained 20 pounds, added four mph to his fastball and had a breakout performance with high Class A Myrtle Beach. After opening the 2015 season as a starter in Double-A, Faulkner moved to the bullpen and made his major league debut on Aug. 31, pitching well for the big league club down the stretch. Out of the bullpen, Faulkner has a plus fastball that ranges from 92-97 mph with good life. He has a crossfire delivery and a short arm stroke that add deception, so the ball jumps on hitters faster than they expect. Faulkner threw a true splitter earlier in his career but now throws an average changeup with a split-like grip that has solid sink. He made progress with his slider but it's still a fringy third pitch for him that needs more depth. There's some effort to Faulkner's delivery and he finishes with a head whack, but he is a solid strike-thrower. He should compete for a bullpen spot on the Opening Day roster and stick around as a middle reliever.
After signing for $125,000 in the 14th round in 2011, Faulkner then spent two nondescript seasons at low Class A Hickory. In 2014, his stock soared at high Class A Myrtle Beach when he added 20 pounds and 4 mph to his fastball with the breakout performance to match. Faulkner's best pitch is his fastball, which sits at 91-94 mph and touches 96. He throws strikes, keeps the ball down and isn't afraid to pitch inside to righthanders. After previously throwing a true splitter earlier in his career, Faulkner instead now throws a changeup with a split-like grip. It's an average pitch with good sink. He also throws a fringy slider that he needs to refine. He throws across his body and finishes with a head whack. That leads some scouts to project him as a reliever, though Faulkner has a chance to keep moving as a potential back-end starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

Not all the prospects at Myrtle Beach were position players. Faulkner also climbed his way to Double-A Frisco after dominating with the Pelicans. CL managers singled out Faulkner as the league's best pitching prospect in BA's Best Tools survey. He throws a low-90s fastball, a plus changeup and a quality splitter. He occasionally mixes in a slow curveball. Some scouts doubt his ability to remain a starter long-term thanks to a head jerk in his delivery, which sees him throw considerably across his body. "He's a lefthanded guy who really has a feel for pitching inside to righties," Carolina manager Scooter Tucker said. "He has a plus fastball, a good pitch mix and he's very competitive."