- Full name Boyd Robert Vander Kooi
- Born 06/11/1999 in Mesa, AZ
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Arizona State
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Drafted in the 36th round (1,072nd overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2017.
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At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Vander Kooi doesn't look like a shortstop, and he won't be one in pro ball, but he has the athletic ability and feel for the game to play the position at Skyline High just outside of Phoenix. He hit .512 with six homers en route to being the Gatorade player of the year in Arizona, and would be a two-way player if he got to Arizona State, as he has plus raw power. For most scouts, he's more of a pro prospect on the mound, where his body offers projection. His fastball velocity fluctuated all spring; at times he'd sit in the low 90s, touching 93 mph, while at others his heater won't get out of the 80s. His tempo fluctuates, and he's better when he works quickly. He has shown the ability to spin at least an average breaking ball. Vander Kooi is a raw athlete whose talent fits in the fifth-to-seventh round range, but who may go out higher if a team saw him at his best.
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Draft Prospects
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Vander Kooi filled just about every role possible on the Sun Devils pitching staff in his shortened junior season, going deep into games as a starter as well as pitching a seven-inning relief outing and a shorter bullpen stint. Despite his ever-shifting role, Vander Kooi was at his best in his junior year, posting an ERA of 0.70. The key was the significant improvement in his control, as he walked just two batters in 25.2 innings. Vander Kooi comes at hitters from a high three-quarters slot with an over-the-top delivery, an arm action that isn’t particularly clean or fluid. His best pitch is a sinking fastball typically in the 88-90 mph range, although at times he was up to 94. All of his pitches are fringy with no real out pitch. The curveball and changeup have a chance to be average offerings in time with the slider being a below-average pitch. At best, he projects as a big-bodied fifth starter type or more likely as a long reliever. While Vander Kooi doesn’t have a high upside, his Arizona State pedigree and performance will likely get him taken in the top 10 rounds. -
At 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Vander Kooi doesn't look like a shortstop, and he won't be one in pro ball, but he has the athletic ability and feel for the game to play the position at Skyline High just outside of Phoenix. He hit .512 with six homers en route to being the Gatorade player of the year in Arizona, and would be a two-way player if he got to Arizona State, as he has plus raw power. For most scouts, he's more of a pro prospect on the mound, where his body offers projection. His fastball velocity fluctuated all spring; at times he'd sit in the low 90s, touching 93 mph, while at others his heater won't get out of the 80s. His tempo fluctuates, and he's better when he works quickly. He has shown the ability to spin at least an average breaking ball. Vander Kooi is a raw athlete whose talent fits in the fifth-to-seventh round range, but who may go out higher if a team saw him at his best.
