Austin Wood
| IP | 275 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.993 |
| WHIP | 1.495 |
| BB/9 | 4.909 |
| SO/9 | 7.036 |
- Full name Austin Garret Wood
- Born 07/11/1990 in Alamogordo, NM
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 230 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Southern California
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Drafted in the 6th round (195th overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2011 (signed for $180,000).
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Wood's track record has never matched his premium arm strength. A 36th-round pick of the Astros in 2008 out of high school in Florida, Wood didn't sign and went to Florida State, where he posted a 6.35 ERA and walked 25 in 23 innings as a freshman. He transferred to St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC and pitched his way out of rotation, though his upside still prompted the Rays to draft him in the fourth round last year. He finally performed in the Cape Cod League last summer, leading the circuit in opponent average (.144), ranking second in ERA (0.74) and touching 99 mph in the all-star game at Fenway Park. He transferred to Southern California and has reverted to his inconsistent ways. Wood looks the part of a big league workhorse, with a 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame. His fastball has ranged from 92-96 mph this spring, yet hitters often square it up. His control has improved, but he still falls behind in counts too often and struggles to spot his fastball, which does have good arm-side run. Scouts see him as a one-pitch reliever because his secondary stuff is below-average at best. He had success with his changeup in the Cape, and he flashed a decent one this spring, but it has regressed as he has focused on developing his curveball. He has a tendency to cast the curve, which lacks late action. Wood's arm strength and body will get him drafted somewhere inside the top five rounds, but he still has a long way to go to become a pitcher who can get outs consistently.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After struggling at Florida State in 2009 and falling out of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC rotation in 2010, Wood still was a fourth-round pick of the Rays and dominated the Cape Cod League that summer. He did not sign and transferred to Southern California, but he fell to the sixth round after posting a 5.61 ERA as a junior. As a pro, he has continued to produce pedestrian results despite quality stuff. Wood's fastball ranges from 91-96 mph and he can hit 99. His plus slider has power and hard bite, but he doesn't miss as many bats as expected because he gets behind in the count too frequently. He left fastballs up in the zone early in 2012, though he did a better job of keeping them down as the year went along. Wood has shown feel for his changeup, but it regressed last season because he rarely used it. He prefers to pitch away from hitters, rather than attacking them inside. He's athletic but has trouble repeating his mechanics and rushes his delivery, which leads to poor control and command--as evidenced by his 72 walks in 128 innings this season. Wood has the arsenal to be a starter if he can improve his changeup, but his lack of success and control may lead him to the bullpen. He should advance to high Class A in 2013. -
Wood pitched Cotuit to the Cape Cod League championship in 2010 while leading the circuit in opponent average (.144), ranking second in ERA (0.74) and hitting 99 mph in the all-star game. He's never demonstrated that type of ceiling at any other stop, however. A 36th-round pick of the Astros out of high school in 2008, Wood struggled at Florida State in 2009 and pitched his way out of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC rotation in 2010. The Rays drafted him in the fourth round anyway but failed to sign him after his big summer. Wood transferred again, to Southern California, where he went just 5-7, 5.61 as a junior last spring. The Angels spent a sixth-round pick and $180,000 to see if they can help him harness his stuff. Wood pitches at 92-96 mph with his fastball, which gets hit harder than it should because it's fairly straight, and he lacks another pitch to keep opponents honest. His changeup regressed after he made progress with it on the Cape, and his breaking ball is slurvy. His control is as inconsistent as his secondary pitches. Los Angeles will initially use Wood as a starter, though it's not a given that he's ready to succeed in low Class A in 2012.
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Slider in the Los Angeles Angels in 2013
Scouting Reports
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Background: After struggling at Florida State in 2009 and falling out of the St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC rotation in 2010, Wood still was a fourth-round pick of the Rays and dominated the Cape Cod League that summer. He did not sign and transferred to Southern California, and he fell to the sixth round after posting a 5.61 ERA as a junior. As a pro, he has continued to produce pedestrian results despite quality stuff. Scouting Report: Wood's fastball ranges from 91-96 mph and he can hit 99. His plus slider has power and hard bite, but he doesn't miss as many bats as expected because he gets behind in the count too frequently. He left fastballs up in the zone early in 2012, though he did a better job of keeping them down as the year went along. Wood has shown feel for his changeup, but it regressed last season because he rarely used it. He prefers to pitch away from hitters, rather than attacking them inside. He's athletic but has trouble repeating his mechanics and rushes his delivery, which leads to poor control and command--as evidenced by his 72 walks in 128 innings this season. The Future: Wood has the arsenal to be a starter if he can improve his changeup, but his lack of success and control may lead him to the bullpen. He should advance to high Class A in 2013.
