Buddy Borden
| IP | 397 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.899 |
| WHIP | 1.375 |
| BB/9 | 4.398 |
| SO/9 | 7.708 |
- Full name Buddy Webster Borden
- Born 04/29/1992 in Las Vegas, NV
- Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Nevada - Las Vegas
-
Drafted in the 7th round (209th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013 (signed for $180,400).
View Draft Report
It was a breakout year for Borden, as he edged Nevada's Braden Shipley for the Mountain West Conference ERA title and went 8-1, 2.19 with 71 strikeouts and 31 walks over 95 innings. He has a durable, athletic build at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds and pitches with a clean, repeatable delivery. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and touches 95 in the early innings. His secondary stuff is below-average. He has more confidence in his curveball than his changeup, though he does show the ability to throw strikes and keep his team in games. If he can't develop feel for a changeup, Borden could wind up in the bullpen, where his fastball could play up.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
-
Borden went from allowing opponents to hit .392 during his freshman year at Nevada-Las Vegas to .233 in his junior season, making him one of the most improved pitchers in the nation. Borden lasted until the seventh before being picked by the Pirates. He throws a 91-93 mph fastball that reaches 96 at times, but he has improved his curveball significantly as a pro to the point where it's a plus pitch. He also throws a below-average changeup. Borden has gained better command of all of his pitches since entering the pro ranks. He will pitch at the high Class A level in 2015 and profiles as a potential back-end starter in the majors, though he has shown enough improvement to give hope more is there.
Draft Prospects
-
It was a breakout year for Borden, as he edged Nevada's Braden Shipley for the Mountain West Conference ERA title and went 8-1, 2.19 with 71 strikeouts and 31 walks over 95 innings. He has a durable, athletic build at 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds and pitches with a clean, repeatable delivery. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and touches 95 in the early innings. His secondary stuff is below-average. He has more confidence in his curveball than his changeup, though he does show the ability to throw strikes and keep his team in games. If he can't develop feel for a changeup, Borden could wind up in the bullpen, where his fastball could play up.
