Joshua Wahpepah Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Joshua G. Wahpepah
Born 07/17/1984 in Shawnee, OK
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 240 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Cowley CC
Drafted in the 3rd round (76th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2004 (signed for $400,000).

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A second-team junior college all-American in 2003, Wahpepah was even better this spring. He tossed a two-hit shutout to help Cowley County win in the juco playoffs, extending his scoreless streak to 30 innings and improving his record to 11-1, 1.24. A full-blooded Native American, Wahpepah committed to Arkansas out of high school but never pitched for the Razorbacks. His sinker jumped from the mid-80s in high school to 89-92 mph in 2003 to 91-95 mph this spring. He has a feel for a changeup, though he needs work on his control and breaking ball. His arm action is funky, which makes him tough to pick up but also may hamper his ability to improve in those areas. The Tigers took him in the 18th round last June and may need to come up with second-round money to sign him. If Wahpepah doesn't turn pro, he'll pitch for Texas next year.

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The Tigers made Wahpepah a priority draft-and-follow after taking him in the 18th round in 2003, but they wouldn't meet his bonus demands after he repeated as a junior college all-American last spring. A full-blooded Native American, he signed with the Brewers for $400,000 as a third-round pick. Wahpepah's fastball has good velocity at 91-93 mph, but the pitch's hard downward sink is what makes him so effective in mowing down hitters. He also throws a slider and changeup, and he impressed Milwaukee by breaking out a nasty curveball in instructional league. In fact, no first-year pitcher was more impressive during the fall program. With a somewhat unorthodox delivery that hitters find deceptive, Wahpepah must stay on top of his mechanics to stay away from arm problems and continue to throw strikes. Some scouts questioned whether his motion would allow him to have consistent control of his secondary pitchers. He'll start 2005 in low Class A.

One of the top draft-and-follows this spring after the Tigers took him in the 18th round last June, Wahpepah turned down Detroit before getting redrafted in the third round by the Brewers and signing for $400,000. He was tired and had his workload monitored carefully this summer, but the life in his arm was evident. A full-blooded Native American, Wahpepah pitches off a heavy sinker that sat between 88-92 mph in the PL and touched 95 mph during the spring. His slider has the potential to become a plus pitch, while his changeup needs refinement. Wahpepah has a very deceptive delivery that makes it difficult for hitters to pick up his pitches. But scouts aren't crazy about his arm action, wondering if it will prevent him from improving his control and secondary offerings.