CD Pelham

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #14 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Pelham was a crude, under-the-radar pitcher when the Rangers signed him for $40,000 as a 33rd-round pick in 2015. It took a couple years, but Pelham broke through when he moved to the bullpen for low Class A Hickory in 2017, then in 2018 pitched at two levels, played in the Futures Game and made his major league debut as a September callup.
  
  Scouting Report: Pelham is a power pitcher who throws in the mid-to-upper 90s, reaching 98 mph with lively cutting action. The extension he's able to generate helps his fastball jump on hitters and he attacks them from a tall, downhill angle. When his slider is right, it's an above-average weapon that he can use to miss bats, though he's still working to master consistency of that pitch. Pelham has significantly improved his control from his early years with the Rangers, but it remains below-average.
  
  The Future: Pelham should figure into Rangers' big league bullpen mix in 2019, with the upside to become a closer.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #19 prospect in 2018
  The Rangers have had success identifying off-the-radar pitchers in South Carolina. They signed righthander Carl Edwards with their 48th-round pick in 2011 and they got Pelham for $40,000 in the 33rd round in 2015. Pelham was so raw that he walked more than a batter per inning in 2016, but in 2017 he moved to the bullpen full-time and took off, punctuating his season with a pair of shutout innings in the high Class A Carolina League playoffs where his fastball sat at 97 mph. Pelham has an extra-large frame and a huge fastball from the left side, parking at 95-96 mph and touching 99 with downhill angle and great extension out front. Pelham can blow his fastball by hitters and also gets a high swing-and-miss rate on his slider, which became a plus pitch last year. Pelham still needs to improve his location, but he already made huge strides with his control last year but cutting his walk rate from 22 percent in 2016 to 10 percent in 2017. The arrows are pointing in the right direction for Pelham, who has the stuff to pitch high-leverage relief innings.

• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  As a reliever, Pelham’s ceiling is limited, but he has some of the best stuff in the Rangers’ system. Pelham is a strong, powerful lefty (6-foot-6, 245 pounds) who pumps 96-99 mph fastballs, then backs it up with a swing-and-miss slider. Pelham has to throw more strikes, but he’s an excellent athlete, which should help him make adjustments. He earned a promotion to Double-A Frisco in mid-June.