Dillon Overton
| IP | 47 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 9.191 |
| WHIP | 1.894 |
| BB/9 | 2.106 |
| SO/9 | 5.362 |
- Full name Dillon Ray Overton
- Born 08/17/1991 in Clinton, OK
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 175 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Oklahoma
- Debut 06/25/2016
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Drafted in the 2nd round (63rd overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2013 (signed for $400,000).
View Draft Report
The Sooners may have the best 1-2 pitching punch in college baseball, and it was Overton and not Jonathan Gray who began the season as the more likely first-round choice. They've flipped positions since then, with Gray vaulting into consideration for the No. 1 overall pick and Overton looking like more of a second-rounder after straining his forearm on April 20 and missing his next two starts. Though he's not physically imposing at 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, Overton has topped out at 95 mph and shown three plus pitches at times. He often pitches in the low 90s with his fastball, which gains deception and life thanks to his crossfire delivery. His slider can be a wipeout pitch and his fading changeup also can elicit swings and misses. He has a loose arm and fills the strike zone with ease. Before Oklahoma shut him down, Overton's fastball had dipped to 87-90 mph and his slider had lost some power and morphed into more of a curveball. He continued to succeed with diminished stuff because he commands his offerings well. A 26th-round selection by the Red Sox in 2010 out of an Oklahoma high school, he draws comparisons to former Oklahoma State lefty Andrew Heaney, the ninth overall pick last year.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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One of the top college arms in the 2013 draft, Overton had Tommy John surgery after the Athletics drafted him. Three years later, his pre-surgery velocity has not returned, but Overton has adapted to his 86-91 mph fastball. He locates his fastball, average changeup and fringe-average curveball well. He also added a cutter, but needs to pitch inside more often to righthanders. He tends to stay away with his pitches. Scouts say Overton will need to learn to come in to miss the strike zone, and then go back away to entice batters to chase. He is a flyball pitcher who gave up just six homers en route to ranking fifth in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in ERA, but righthanded batters pounded him in his brief major league stint (.422/.455/.800) as he gave up 12 home runs in two stints lasting 24.1 innings. Overton's big league debut included the worst ERA in 20 or more innings by a big league rookie since 1994. He must adjust and make batters uncomfortable by pitching inside to fulfill his ceiling as a back-end starter. -
One of the premier college arms leading into the 2013 draft, Overton had Tommy John surgery after signing with Oakland that summer. Now two years removed from the operation, Overton made it unscathed through his first full minor league season in 2015, reaching Double-A Midland. He was at his best late, reeling off a 19-inning shutout streak over his final four starts in August. The A's still hold out some hope Overton can regain more of the mid-90s velocity he had at Oklahoma, but he works 87-90 now. He touched 91 mph late in the season. Learning to pitch without his old heater, Overton has developed excellent command and feel. He throws across his body, which doesn't look picturesque but gives him some deception. His fastball comes in with armside run and his fading changeup has become his best secondary weapon. He spots his curveball to both sides of the plate and varies its shape as well. The A's would like to see him add some bulk to his wiry frame, but he hasn't kept any weight on so far. The A's consider Overton close to a finished product, with how much velocity he ends up with the only real remaining X-factor. If he can get into the low 90s consistently, he could at least be a mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he's a finesse, back-of-the-rotation lefty. He'll get his next test will be Triple-A Nashville in 2016. -
The Athletics signed Overton for a discounted $400,000 in the second round of the 2013 draft knowing he would need Tommy John surgery. Overton returned to the mound in late June 2014 and carved up hitters over 37 innings in short-season ball, notching 13 times as many strikeouts as walks. The 95 mph velocity Overton showed at times with Oklahoma hasn't come back yet, though the A's are hopeful that a normal offseason routine will bring about a harder fastball in the spring. He pitched at 88-91 mph in 2014, though he also dipped as low as 86 toward the end. His fastball plays up thanks to its armside sink and the fact he throws somewhat across his body, aiding his deception. Overton produced dominant results in 2014 because he has two projected plus secondary pitches in his curveball and changeup. His changeup receives the edge right now, for it looks just like a fastball out of his hand then drops off the table, but his curve has good shape and can be a chase pitch too. He brings strong control and and a fearless attitude to the mound. Prior to requiring elbow surgery, Overton was hailed as one of the elite arms in the 2013 college draft class. He will begin 2015 at one of Oakland's Class A clubs before potentially reaching Double-A Midland by season's end. -
Overton and No. 3 overall pick Jonathan Gray formed a dominant one-two punch atop the Oklahoma rotation in 2013, though it was Overton who ranked higher on draft boards entering the season. While Gray surged, Overton had a solid junior year, going 9-3, 3.02, but he had to deal with a forearm strain in the middle of the season. That strain turned out to be the tip of the iceberg and Overton needed Tommy John surgery after signing for $400,000, the smallest bonus of any second-round pick in 2013. Overton showed first-round-caliber stuff at points during his college career. Though he has a skinny frame, he was able to run his fastball up to 95 mph at times. He pitched more often at 88-90 mph in 2013. His 78-80 mph changeup is a legitimate plus pitch with fading movement. He also broke out a much-improved curveball in 2013, featuring late, tight break in the mid-70s. Overton pitches with some crossfire to his delivery, though scouts like his loose arm action and he has no trouble pounding the zone. His motion does give him some deception, which along with his advanced feel for pitching allowed him to succeed despite diminished velocity. If Overton's velocity comes all the way back and he has no further health problems, he has the components to be a frontline starter. He won't make his professional debut until June 2014 at the earliest and the Athletics will be careful with him.
Draft Prospects
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The Sooners may have the best 1-2 pitching punch in college baseball, and it was Overton and not Jonathan Gray who began the season as the more likely first-round choice. They've flipped positions since then, with Gray vaulting into consideration for the No. 1 overall pick and Overton looking like more of a second-rounder after straining his forearm on April 20 and missing his next two starts. Though he's not physically imposing at 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, Overton has topped out at 95 mph and shown three plus pitches at times. He often pitches in the low 90s with his fastball, which gains deception and life thanks to his crossfire delivery. His slider can be a wipeout pitch and his fading changeup also can elicit swings and misses. He has a loose arm and fills the strike zone with ease. Before Oklahoma shut him down, Overton's fastball had dipped to 87-90 mph and his slider had lost some power and morphed into more of a curveball. He continued to succeed with diminished stuff because he commands his offerings well. A 26th-round selection by the Red Sox in 2010 out of an Oklahoma high school, he draws comparisons to former Oklahoma State lefty Andrew Heaney, the ninth overall pick last year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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It's rare for a player more than a year removed from college to be included in a Rookie league prospect list, but Overton is a special case. The Oklahoma southpaw projected as a first-round pick coming into his junior year but suffered through forearm stiffness and a drop in velocity during his final college season. The Athletics selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft knowing he would require Tommy John surgery. Overton returned from surgery with impeccable control, walking just three batters in 22 innings against less-experienced AZL hitters. His fastball sat 84-91 mph this summer but generally checked in well under the low- to mid-90s he threw in college. The A's believe Overton will be effective pitching with an average fastball because of his command and deceptive delivery. His curveball and changeup project to be above-average pitches because he throws them for strikes. The A's have adjusted the position of Overton's hands and changed his line to the plate to clean up his delivery and preclude him from throwing across his body so much.
