Jacob Rasner Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Jacob Scott Rasner
Born 12/04/1986 in Reno, NV
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Earl Wooster
Drafted in the 7th round (219th overall) by the Texas Rangers in 2005 (signed for $250,000).

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Rasner is the cousin of Darrell Rasner, who holds numerous Nevada pitching records, including wins in a season (14 in 2000) and a career (28 from 2000-02), and career strikeouts (302). So it's no surprise Jake has committed to the Wolf Pack as well. Darrell was a second-round pick of the Expos in 2002. Jake is considered much more advanced at the same stage of his career. Through his first 57 innings this spring, he was 7-3, 0.61 with 10 walks and 89 strikeouts. He has better velocity, with a fastball that normally is clocked from 89-91 mph but touches 94. He complements it with a 79 mph curve. Darrell's fastball was only 86-89 mph when he enrolled at Nevada, but he had a better breaking ball and better command. Jake needs more consistency with his secondary pitches. His curveball had a tighter rotation in 2004 than this year, and he needs to develop a better feel for a changeup. But with a tall, lean body and above-average arm strength, he has a high ceiling and wants the opportunity to give pro ball a shot now, rather than follow in his cousin's footsteps at Nevada.

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Rasner was set to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Yankees righthander Darrell Rasner, by pitching for Nevada until Texas signed him as a seventh-round pick out of high school in 2005. His pro debut was rocky, but he showed progress in his first full season as a 19-year-old in low Class A despite finishing second in the minors in losses. The Rangers like his intensity, toughness and arm. With a big, durable frame, Rasner pitches from a downhill plane and gets good sink and armside run on his promising fastball, which sits at 90-92 mph and tops out at 94. He flashes a decent slider and began utilizing a changeup in the second half of the season, but both offerings are underdeveloped. Rasner remains raw in all facets, but Texas believes his coordination and delivery will smooth out over time. He has started to fill out his lanky frame, and he profiles as a workhorse starter as he continues to get stronger. He could earn a spot in the high Class A rotation in 2007, but he also might benefit from more time in low Class A.