Neal Cotts
| IP | 443 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.962 |
| WHIP | 1.352 |
| BB/9 | 3.941 |
| SO/9 | 8.553 |
- Full name Neal James Cotts
- Born 03/25/1980 in Lebanon, IL
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Illinois State
- Debut 08/12/2003
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Drafted in the 2nd round (69th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2001 (signed for $525,000).
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Cotts shows why movement matters as much as velocity. He's not a soft tosser by any means, as his 88-89 mph is plenty good for a lefthander. He gets outs with his fastball because it runs in on lefties and away from righties, and it also will explode down or show a little hop at times. His curveball has nice break but is inconsistent, and his changeup is a decent third pitch. He's durable, too, having thrown five consecutive complete games at midseason. Included in that run was a 2-0 shutout of Southwest Missouri States in front of several scouts there to see Cotts match up with lefty John Rheinecker, a possible second-round pick.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Unsung when he was traded, Cotts has become the best part of the Billy Koch-Keith Foulke deal for the White Sox. He started the 2003 Futures Game at U.S. Cellular Field and would have won the Double-A Southern League ERA title had he not fallen 3 1/2 innings shy of qualifying. His first big league promotion lasted four starts, as he left a poor impression because of wildness. Cotts has averaged 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings in the minors despite a fastball that tops out at 91 mph. His motion deceives hitters and makes his fastball look harder. His changeup is his best pitch, and his curveball improved last year. He does a good job changing speeds and using his secondary pitches to set up his fastball. He keeps the ball down in the strike zone and rarely gives up homers. Cotts will have to iimprove his control before he gets another shot with the White Sox. Big league hitters didn't chase his pitches out of the strike zone, and they didn't swing and miss too often when his stuff came over the plate. He doesn't have an obvious out pitch for the majors. A strong spring training could put Cotts into immediate consideration for a spot in the Chicago rotation. More likely, he'll go to Triple-A and be in line for a big league job in 2005. -
Cotts was a 2001 second-round pick from Illinois State, the highest selection in school history. He returned to his home state in December in a trade that saw the Athletics and White Sox swap closers Keith Foulke and Billy Koch. Though Cotts' fastball barely breaks 90 mph, he has averaged 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings as a pro. He changes speeds with aplomb and hitters have great difficulty making sound contact. He pitched most of 2002 using just a fastball and changeup before he began working on his curveball. The curve showed great improvement late in the season and during instructional league. That third pitch will be critical if he's to remain a starter. He also needs better control. Cotts will work on both those areas in Double-A this year. -
Cotts became the highest draft pick ever from Illinois State when the A's called his name in the second round last June. An all-Missouri Valley Conference selection as both a pitcher and a scholar-athlete, he outdueled John Rheinecker 2-0 in a conference matchup last spring that attracted droves of scouts. Cotts uses movement more than velocity, getting his high 80s fastball to run and sink toward the left side of the plate. He also throws a curveball and a changeup, decent pitches that need to get better. Cotts knows how to pitch and delivers strikes to both sides of the plate. Unfazed by the California League in his pro debut, he'll return there this season with the potential to advance quickly.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Cotts' big league callup didn't go as well as those of Jackson and Haren, but that didn't diminish his breakthrough season. The best part of the offseason Keith Foulke-Billy Koch trade for the White Sox, Cotts led the SL in opponent average (.173). Cotts didn't do it with Jackson's velocity or Haren's nastiness. Instead, he fooled hitters with the excellent deception on his high-80s fastball--the same formula that worked in college but didn't work in the big leagues. He alters speeds on his fastball and changeup, and also showed an improved curveball. "He's going to have to command all his pitches as he goes up the ladder, because he won't get away with mistakes," Wellman said. "But make no mistake, the ball jumps on you quick. The radar gun doesn't match your eyes."
