IP | 4.2 |
---|---|
ERA | 3.86 |
WHIP | .86 |
BB/9 | 0 |
SO/9 | 5.79 |
- Full name Michael Patrick Rucker
- Born 04/27/1994 in Columbus, MS
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Brigham Young
- Debut 07/30/2021
-
Drafted in the 11th round (344th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2016 (signed for $180,000).
View Draft Report
Rucker began his college career at Gonzaga before transferring to Brigham Young and sitting out the 2014 season. After spending most of his first BYU season in the bullpen, Rucker became the Cougars' Friday night starter as a redshirt junior. He posted a standout 11-1, 2.73 record, losing for the first time to Gonzaga in the conference tournament when he was outdueled by Brandon Bailey. While his stuff isn't flashy, Rucker gets results by throwing a 90-93 mph fastball, touching 96, for strikes. He has good feel for the curveball and changeup and also uses a slider. The secondary pitches are all below-average offerings. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Rucker doesn't offer a lot of projection and may profile better as a future reliever but he's competitive on the mound.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Like many pitchers who go to Brigham Young, Rucker was old for his draft class. However, it's not because he went on his Mormon mission trip. His career began at Gonzaga, but he transferred to BYU and converted from Catholicism to being Mormon after meeting his now-wife Sydney. Rucker sat out a year as a transfer, then thrived (11-1, 2.73) in 2016 in the West Coast Conference, which featured second-round picks A.J. Puckett and Mitch White and fourth-rounder Corbin Burnes as opposing Friday night starters. Rucker fell to the 11th round but got an above-slot $180,000 bonus. The lower levels of the Cubs' system are crowded with pitchers, but in 2017 Rucker pitched his way from the low Class A South Bend bullpen to Myrtle Beach's rotation and was the Pelicans' first playoff starter. His fastball hits 96 mph when he relieves, sitting more in the 89-93 range as a starter. He can pitch to both sides of the plate with it and has excellent control, pounding the bottom of the strike zone. His ability to locate his slider and changeup helps them play up; both bump average, and he'll flip in a curveball as well. Rucker may wind up in the bullpen but will get time to develop as a starter, heading to Double-A Tennessee to open 2018.
Draft Prospects
-
Rucker began his college career at Gonzaga before transferring to Brigham Young and sitting out the 2014 season. After spending most of his first BYU season in the bullpen, Rucker became the Cougars' Friday night starter as a redshirt junior. He posted a standout 11-1, 2.73 record, losing for the first time to Gonzaga in the conference tournament when he was outdueled by Brandon Bailey. While his stuff isn't flashy, Rucker gets results by throwing a 90-93 mph fastball, touching 96, for strikes. He has good feel for the curveball and changeup and also uses a slider. The secondary pitches are all below-average offerings. At 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Rucker doesn't offer a lot of projection and may profile better as a future reliever but he's competitive on the mound.