Andrew Liebel Stats & Scouting Report

IP	310
ERA	4.152
WHIP	1.384
BB/9	2.787
SO/9	6.794

Full name Andrew J Liebel
Born 03/22/1986 in Pomona, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Long Beach State
Drafted in the 3rd round (95th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008 (signed for $340,000).

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Liebel stands as an example of player development at the college level. He made little impact his first two seasons at Long Beach State, working primarily in relief, but emerged toward the end of his junior season as the Dirtbags' most consistent starter. While he's not overpowering, he had taken another step forward this spring even after well-regarding pitching coach Troy Buckley left the Beach to be the Pirates' roving pitching coordinator. Liebel attacks hitters with his fastball, which has solid-average velocity and touches 93 mph. Even though he's small at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, he has excellent arm strength due in part to his long-toss program and also to his improved diet and workout program. He also has confidence in his curveball, slider and changeup, all of which grade out as average pitches at times. His command stands out, though, and Liebel is best described as a pitchability college righthander whose biggest downside is his size. At 5-foot-11, he's compared to Yankees righty Ian Kennedy, but he lacks Kennedy's comparatively lengthy track record of success. He's one of the nation's better senior signs and could move quickly.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

Liebel spent most of his first three seasons at Long Beach State as a reliever before getting a chance to start. He went 8-4, 2.22 as a senior, pitching his way into the third round of the 2008 draft and signing for $340,000. He has more polish than stuff, with enough savvy that the Blue Jays sent him to high Class A for his first full pro season and promoted him to Double-A at the end of the year. Liebel's fastball sits at 88-89 mph and maxes out at 91, but he gets good movement and relies on his control. He sells his plus changeup well and does a nice job of mixing in an overhand curveball and a slider, though both breaking balls are fringy at this point. He can't overpower hitters but aggressively goes after them anyway. He doesn't have a huge ceiling, but he could be a back-of-the-rotation option after another year in the minors. He'll go back to New Hampshire to start 2010.
Liebel worked mostly as a reliever during his first two seasons at Long Beach State before emerging as a consistent starter toward the end of his junior season. He continued to pitch well as a senior in 2008, going 8-4, 2.22 in 15 starts, and represented good value as a polished college righthander with a simple, clean delivery. The Blue Jays signed him for $340,000 as a third-round pick. Liebel covers the plate with four pitches he can throw for strikes in any count, headlined by his 88-90 mph sinker. He touches 93 with his four-seam fastball. Liebel drew pre-draft comparisons to Ian Kennedy as a compact college righty with a wide repertoire. As with Kennedy, his plus changeup consistently rates ahead of his fringe-average breaking pitches, a curveball and a slider. He's mature and knows how to pitch to his strengths, which are locating his fastball and keeping hitters off balance with his changeup. Because of his command and pitchability, Liebel figures to move quickly through the system and probably will begin his first full season in high Class A. He has the makings of a No. 5 starter.