Ben Eckels
| IP | 202 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.564 |
| WHIP | 1.332 |
| BB/9 | 4.099 |
| SO/9 | 8.287 |
- Full name Benjamin Robert Eckels
- Born 01/27/1994 in Woodland, CA
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 193 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Davis
-
Drafted in the 11th round (363rd overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2012 (signed for $125,000).
View Draft Report
There's an abundance of undersized righthanders with good stuff this year. While Marcus Stroman is in a class of his own and Eckels isn't quite in the same class as Justin Garza or Zach Quintana. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and touches 94 and he mixes in an above-average curveball and a changeup that projects as an average pitch. On top of that, Eckles is viewed as a bulldog of a competitor. The knock is just his size, as scouts say that if Eckels were 6-foot-3, he'd be a top pick, but he's three or four inches shorter and weighs 175 pounds. Eckels could get bumped up by a few rounds for a team that isn't concerned about his size because he is considered signable and is committed to Howard (Texas) JC.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Eckels is an undersized righthander whose repertoire and bulldog mentality would have put him in the early rounds of the 2012 draft if he were two or three inches taller. The Diamondbacks grabbed him in the 11th round and signed him for a $125,000 bonus, steering him away from a commitment to Howard (Texas) JC. He quickly became a favorite of scouts covering the Arizona League, where he struck out 56 batters in 52 innings, and he may turn out to be one of the better sleepers of the draft. Eckels stands out for his composure and aggressiveness on the mound. His low-90s fastball has heavy sink, and he also has a promising curveball and changeup. He pitches aggressively in the zone and has the ability to throw all of his pitches for strikes. Eckels will likely head to a more advanced short-season stop in 2013, but with his advanced feel for pitching and command of three pitches, he might be able to earn an assignment to low Class A.
Draft Prospects
-
There's an abundance of undersized righthanders with good stuff this year. While Marcus Stroman is in a class of his own and Eckels isn't quite in the same class as Justin Garza or Zach Quintana. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and touches 94 and he mixes in an above-average curveball and a changeup that projects as an average pitch. On top of that, Eckles is viewed as a bulldog of a competitor. The knock is just his size, as scouts say that if Eckels were 6-foot-3, he'd be a top pick, but he's three or four inches shorter and weighs 175 pounds. Eckels could get bumped up by a few rounds for a team that isn't concerned about his size because he is considered signable and is committed to Howard (Texas) JC.
