Kasey Kiker Stats & Scouting Report

IP	508
ERA	4.429
WHIP	1.506
BB/9	5.315
SO/9	9.071

Full name Kasey William Kiker
Born 11/19/1987 in Phenix City, AL
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Russell County
Drafted in the 1st round (12th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2006 (signed for $1,600,000).

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Kiker is one of the nation's most electric lefthanders and has a remarkable track record for a high school pitcher. As a 15-year-old in 2003, he was the winning pitcher for Team USA when it won a gold medal in the World Youth Championship in Taiwan. He was the ace of national champion Russell County High's staff in 2005 as a junior, going 12-1, 0.52 with 173 strikeouts and 24 walks in 94 innings. Kiker appeared in the Aflac All-American Classic in August and numerous other high-profile showcases and tournaments, showing guile and aggressiveness each time out. His velocity fluctuated throughout the spring, and his most impressive outing might have come in early May when he pitched at 93 with late life and command of his hard breaking ball and changeup. Kiker carves up hitters with power stuff. His 76-78 mph breaking ball has 1-to-7 tilt with tight spin, and his changeup is more consistent and rates as a present above-average offering. Kiker isn't tall, but he's thick and strong, especially in his lower half. He pitches with a chip on his shoulder, which doesn't bother most scouts, but the club that selects him will investigate his makeup.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Shoulder soreness hampered Kiker in 2008, but he stayed healthy last year and led Double-A Texas League starters in strikeouts per nine innings (8.5) while finishing second in opponent average (.219). His velocity and command faded late in the year, as he posted a 9.47 ERA in August, then issued 14 walks in 13 innings for Team USA in the World Cup. Kiker no longer flashes the 95-96 mph fastball that made him the 12th overall pick and earned him a $1.6 million bonus in 2006, but he attacks hitters with a 90-93 mph heater. The riding life on his fastball gets strikeouts up in the zone. His 79-80 mph changeup has blossomed into a plus pitch over the last two years. He's a fearless competitor who loves to work inside. Kiker's mid-70s curveball still has good shape and depth at times, but his command of the pitch has taken a step backward. He needs to throw it with tighter break more consistently. Durability will always be a question because of his size, and his fastball dropped to 85-89 mph late in the year. Some Rangers officials believe Kiker's stuff will play up in relief, and he could get some work in the bullpen in major league camp this spring. Ultimately, his future might be as a middle reliever or setup man, but he'll open 2010 in the Oklahoma City rotation.
Shoulder soreness hampered Kiker in camp and caused him to start 2008 in extended spring training. He went to high Class A in late April and struggled to regain his plus fastball velocity for most of the first half, instead working at 88-92 mph. After he threw six shutout innings in front of farm director Scott Servais in early July, the Rangers talked internally about promoting him to Double-A, but Kiker came up sore after the outing and missed three weeks. At times in the second half, he pitched at 90-94 mph with his fastball, but he didn't touch 96-97 like he did in the 2007 Midwest League playoffs. Still, Texas was encouraged that he learned to pitch without his best fastball. Kiker has learned to command his above-average changeup very well and now has the confidence to throw it in any count. More encouraging, he has gotten more consistent with his tight downer curveball, which now rates consistently as a solid-average offering. Kiker has cut his walk rate significantly in each of his three pro seasons, a sign of his improving command and control. The Rangers' biggest concerns with Kiker center around his body. He let his conditioning go during the season, causing team president Nolan Ryan to talk with him during instructional league about staying in better shape. Kiker vowed to work harder this offseason, and Texas hopes he'll be healthy and strong enough to start 2009 in Double-A. With a quality three-pitch mix, Kiker still has a chance to be a midrotation starter, but his small frame and competitive demeanor likely will make him a better fit in the bullpen.
The Rangers have been careful with the undersized Kiker, first keeping him on a strict pitch count in his pro debut after his standout career as a workhorse at national powerhouse Russell County High (Seale, Ala.), then holding him back in extended spring training to start his first full pro season. The idea was to keep him to 20 starts in 2007, and Texas preferred to have him peaking at the end of the season rather than in July. It worked perfectly, as he repeatedly dialed his fastball up to 97 mph in a Midwest League playoff game. A bulldog who wants the ball in big spots, Kiker has the stuff and competitiveness to make up for his slight build. With a clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot, he pitches comfortably at 91-93 mph and has the ability to elevate the ball in the zone to get strikeouts when needed. He has a plus changeup with some tail to it. He always has thrown the changeup with good arm speed and commanded it much better in 2007, even using it when he was behind in the count. Kiker's 75-78 mph curveball has tight downward rotation and is a plus pitch at times, but it remains inconsistent. Though he has a strong lower half and keeps himself in great shape, his size raises questions about his ability to shoulder a starter's heavy workload over the long term. Kiker will start 2008 in the hitter-friendly California League, which will be a major test for him as a flyball pitcher. His three-pitch mix gives him a shot to be a mid-rotation starter in the big leagues by 2010.
Kiker had a lengthy track record as the ace at Russell County High, winning a national title in 2005 and striking out 143 in 70 innings as a senior. Texas drafted him 12th overall and signed him for $1.6 million. His heavy prep workload mandated a strict pitch count in his pro debut, but he held his own against older competition in the short-season Northwest League. Kiker has a quick arm and a strong lower half, helping him rev his lively fastball as high as 97 mph and keep it at 90-93. His changeup is his second-best pitch, though his 12-to-6 curveball also has tight rotation and hard break. He could have three average to plus pitches in time. He has a clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot. He struggled to command all of his pitches at times this summer, though he was better down the stretch. He also needs to work on holding runners and fielding his position after mostly neglecting those aspects and focusing on fastball command in his debut. Kiker earns comparisons to Randy Wolf but throws harder. His slight frame lacks projection, but he already has quality stuff and could wind up in the middle of a big league rotation. He should be able to handle a promotion to low Class A Clinton in 2007.

Minor League Top Prospects

Kiker spent the whole season in Double-A at age 21, leading TL starters in strikeouts per nine innings (8.5) while finishing second in opponent average (.219). He still lacked some consistency but impressed managers with his toughness. At his best, Kiker works with a sharp 90-93 mph fastball, though he pitched more at 88-90 later in the year. He posted a 9.47 ERA in August, then struggled with his command pitching for Team USA in the World Cup, walking 14 in 13 innings. Kiker's changeup is a legitimate plus pitch, and he flashes an average curveball. Managers also liked his willingness to work inside. Skeptics see Kiker as an undersized lefty who will end up in the bullpen. He has issues with his angle to the plate, so he sometimes leaves the ball up in the zone. He's developing better touch and feel, however, and is such a strong competitor that he should continue to improve.
As a 5-foot-10 fireballing lefthander, Kiker draws a lot of physical comparisons to Billy Wagner. He doesn't have Wagner's pure stuff, but he looks like he's destined to join Wagner (who also was a starter when he came through the MWL 13 years earlier) as a late-inning reliever. Kiker topped out at 97 mph in high school, but in his first full pro season his fastball sat more at 90-91 mph. He also flashes a hard, tight curveball. He has a quality arm yet still has a lot of work to do. Kiker's changeup, control and command all leave a lot to be desired. If he refines a third pitch and throws more strikes, he could remain a starter, but his size and the effort in his delivery lead to durability questions.
Kiker's heavy prep workload this spring, when he struck out 143 and walked just 24 in 70 innings, mandated a strict pitch count in his pro debut. He seldom pitched enough innings to qualify for a win--accounting for his 0-7 record--but he easily held his own against older competition in the NWL. Kiker has a quick arm and a strong lower half, helping him rev his lively fastball as high as 94 mph and keep it at 90-92. His changeup is his second-best pitch, though his 12-to-6 curveball also has tight rotation and hard break. He struggled to command all of his pitches at times this summer, but he was better down the stretch. Mechanically, Kiker has a clean arm action from a high three-quarters slot, but he tends to over-rotate and spin off some pitches. He also needs to work on holding runners and fielding his position, as he mostly neglected those aspects of the game and focused on fastball command in his pro debut. Kiker lacks projection at 5-foot-11 and 181 pounds, but he could have three average or better pitches and wind up in the middle of a big league rotation.