Josh Hodges
| IP | 608 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.1 |
| WHIP | 1.347 |
| BB/9 | 2.872 |
| SO/9 | 6.291 |
- Full name Joshua Hodges
- Born 06/21/1991 in New Albany, MS
- Profile Ht.: 6'7" / Wt.: 235 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Ingomar Attendance Center
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Drafted in the 7th round (218th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2009 (signed for $125,000).
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A Northeast Mississippi JC recruit, Hodges hails from New Albany, Miss., a town of fewer than 10,000 in northern Mississippi. He's a physical 6-foot-7, 235-pound righty who hit 92-94 mph in high school but was hard to scout because of his relatively remote location and small school success.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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Hodges came out of high school raw, having faced little competition in a remote northern Mississippi town of 8,000. An imposing figure on the mound, Hodges gets downward plane on his heavy, sinking fastball, which sits in the low 90s. When he needs a little more he can run it up to 94 mph. His hard slider may have the makings of an average breaking pitch, though it lacks consistency. He throws two changeups, the better of which breaks down like a splitter and grades as a plus offering. Hodges' arm action is clean and his delivery smooth and repeatable. He commands all his pitches well. He projects as a back-end starter or longman. Hodgers worked briefly in relief in the first half of 2013 and saw a slight uptick in velocity to the mid-90s. He'll continue as a starter and should join the Double-A Jacksonville rotation in 2014. -
Hodges hit 94 mph in high school but posed a challenge for scouts because he played in a remote northern Mississippi town and didn't face much in the way of competition. The Marlins invested a seventh- round pick and $125,000 in him, knowing he would take time to develop. He has yet to reach full-season ball after three years as a pro, but he turned the corner in 2011 while repeating Jamestown. While he has been clocked as high as 97 mph, Hodges now works mostly at 90-92 mph with his fastball, trading velocity for sink. He's learning he doesn't need to max out on every pitch to be successful. He doesn't yet have good feel for his hard slider, showing a preference for his changeup as his second offering. His delivery is still a little raw and he'll finish too straight up at times, but his arm action is clean and he shows decent command. He's quick to both first base and the plate, and opponents stole just two bases in seven tries against him last year. Hodges took a major step forward in controlling his emotions in 2011, not losing his cool as frequently when hits dropped in, though there were still occasional signs of frustration. He's also understanding better what being a professional athlete entails off the field. A potential No. 3 or 4 starter, Hodges is ready to graduate to full-season ball in Greensboro.
