Rudy Darrow
| IP | 158 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.646 |
| WHIP | 1.386 |
| BB/9 | 4.044 |
| SO/9 | 8.943 |
- Full name Rudy Dale Darrow
- Born 02/11/1984 in Stillwater, OK
- Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Nicholls State
- Drafted in the 32nd round (952nd overall) by the Detroit Tigers in 2006.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Darrow has one of the most intriguing personal stories of any player in the system, in addition to one of the best fastballs. He began his collegiate athletic career as a wrestler--in the 125-pound weight class--at Labette (Kan.) CC. He separated a growth plate in his throwing elbow as a freshman, which halted his wrestling season but didn't prevent him from playing baseball that spring. Darrow ultimately gave up wrestling, and head baseball coach Aaron Keal moved him from the outfield to the mound. He adopted a sidearm style after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2004 and blossomed as a prospect last year. He jumped from low Class A to Double- A without missing a beat, and he ended 2008 by pitching well in the Arizona Fall League. Darrow's low arm slot has made his short stature almost irrelevant, especially because his fastball reaches 94 mph with plus sink. Righthanders struggle to lift his pitches and he allowed only one home run in 62 innings last year. His sweeping slider has promise as an out pitch, though he needs to command it better. He throws an occasional changeup, but it's not a big part of his repertoire and he needs a better one to combat lefties. He has good control and a resilient arm. He has a lively personality, aggressive makeup and loves to compete. Darrow could arrive in the majors as a middle reliever sometime this year.
