Roy Oswalt

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #1 prospect in 2001
  One way the Astros try to keep player development costs down is by aggressively using the draft-and-follow process. They identify raw players and try to sign them after they refine their skills in junior college. That's how they got Darryl Kile and up-and-coming prospects Tim Redding and Gavin Wright, among others. Their best draft-and-follow work may have been done with Oswalt, though he didn't come cheap. He blossomed so much in his second season at Holmes (Miss.) Junior College that he would have been a first-round pick had Houston not handed him a $500,000 bonus shortly before the 1997 draft. Oswalt has a plus fastball, but he seemed more concerned with his velocity than in becoming a refined pitcher in his first three pro seasons. That changed in 2000. He began decently at high Class A Kissimmee before being promoted to Double-A Round Rock for what was supposed to be an emergency start. When he responded with a 15-strikeout shutout, he never looked back. He went on to lead Texas League starters in strikeouts (9.8) and fewest hits (7.4) per nine innings, and his 1.94 ERA was the circuit's lowest in a decade. While Round Rock was winning the league playoffs, Oswalt was in Sydney with the U.S. Olympic team. He contributed to the gold-medal effort with two strong starts against Korea, allowing two runs in 13 innings. Oswalt pitched more under control in 2000, which is why his career took off. He still pitches up in the strike zone with his fastball at times, but for the most part he worried about painting the black at 92-94 mph rather than trying to reach back and throw 96. Righthanders have no chance when he throws his heat knee-high on the outside corner. He hides the ball well, and when he doesn't try to max out his velocity, his fastball explodes out of his hand with late life. His curveball jumps straight down, and his changeup at times serves as a third above-average pitch. He's stingy with walks and home runs (allowing just six last year), and he limited lefthanders to a .201 average in Double-A. He's an absolute warrior who always gives his best effort. Oswalt needs to remember that less is more when it comes to his fastball, that he has more command and movement when he throws in the low 90s. He needs to get more consistent with his curveball and changeup, because he doesn't always finish off the latter pitch. If Oswalt continues to progress like he did last year, he'll be ready for Houston after spending a half-season in Triple-A. He has the stuff to be the club's No. 1 starter down the road, though the more established Scott Elarton does as well.
• 
  Ranked Houston Astros #9 prospect in 1999
  Originally drafted out of a rural Mississippi high school, Oswalt signed for $500,000 as a draft-and-follow after a year in junior college. He was scheduled to pitch at low Class A Quad City last season but sprained his elbow in spring training. The Astros chose to rehab the injury conservatively and kept him in extended spring training. Despite his slender frame, Oswalt has nasty raw stuff. His fastball is regularly in the 93-95 mph range and has touched 97. His curveball has the potential to become a plus major league pitch and the top breaking ball in the system. He has walked 54 hitters in 164 professional innings--impressive for a power pitcher. Durability is the first hurdle Oswalt has to clear. As he begins to build up innings, he needs to develop a changeup and spot his pitches better within the strike zone. The Astros will start Oswalt in Class A in 1999, but with his plus pitches and mature fundamentals, he has the potential to move quickly.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Florida State League #3 prospect in 2000
  Oswalt went from relative obscurity to the U.S. Olympic team this season, and Kissimmee was his launching pad. He made just eight starts there before making an emergency start in Double-A and his 15-strikeout shutout ensured that he wouldn’t be coming back to the Florida State League. Some have likened Oswalt to a righthanded Mike Hampton because of the way both are built, but he still has a ways to go to make that comparison apt. Oswalt throws a 95 mph fastball and an outstanding curveball that still needs refinement. “You would have to call Oswalt a work in progress,” Dunedin manager Marty Pevey said. “But he’s a very good work in progress.”
• 
  Ranked Texas League #1 prospect in 2000
  Oswalt, a highly touted draft-and-follow who signed with the Astros for $500,000 in 1997, spent the first six weeks this year in the high Class A Florida State League. He moved to Round Rock for what was supposed to be a lone emergency start. After throwing a 15-strikeout shutout he never left, and his 1.94 ERA was the lowest in the Texas League since Anthony Young’s 1.65 a decade earlier. Oswalt did it with a fastball that consistently hit 95 mph and maintained its speed in the later innings. His curveball painted corners and buckled knees. His stuff drew the attention of the U.S. Olympic team, which added Oswalt to its rotation. Astros assistant general manager Tim Purpura, who was on hand for Oswalt’s Double-A debut, was cautious with his praise early on but couldn’t deny the obvious by season’s end. “Oswalt has risen to every challenge he’s been faced with so far,” Purpura said. “His development has been so rapid and so positive this year that it’s hard to really estimate how high is ceiling is.”
• 
  Ranked Florida Complex League #10 prospect in 1997
  A 23rd-round pick in 1996, Oswalt signed with the Astros just before this year’s draft for $500,000. Despite his slight frame, Oswalt’s fastball can reach 95 mph. He has lightning-quick feet, enabling him to accelerate quickly. Oswalt goes right at hitters and already has mastered holding runners.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #13 prospect in 2001

• December, 2000 Scouting Report
  One way the Astros try to keep player development costs down is by aggressively using the draft-and-follow process. They identify raw players and try to sign them after they refine their skills in junior college. That's how they got Darryl Kile and up-and-coming prospects Tim Redding and Gavin Wright, among others. Their best draft-and-follow work may have been done with Oswalt, though he didn't come cheap. He blossomed so much in his second season at Holmes (Miss.) Junior College that he would have been a first-round pick had Houston not handed him a $500,000 bonus shortly before the 1997 draft. Oswalt has a plus fastball, but he seemed more concerned with his velocity than in becoming a refined pitcher in his first three pro seasons. That changed in 2000. He began decently at high Class A Kissimmee before being promoted to Double-A Round Rock for what was supposed to be an emergency start. When he responded with a 15-strikeout shutout, he never looked back. He went on to lead Texas League starters in strikeouts (9.8) and fewest hits (7.4) per nine innings, and his 1.94 ERA was the circuit's lowest in a decade. While Round Rock was winning the league playoffs, Oswalt was in Sydney with the U.S. Olympic team. He contributed to the gold-medal effort with two strong starts against Korea, allowing two runs in 13 innings. Oswalt pitched more under control in 2000, which is why his career took off. He still pitches up in the strike zone with his fastball at times, but for the most part he worried about painting the black at 92-94 mph rather than trying to reach back and throw 96. Righthanders have no chance when he throws his heat knee-high on the outside corner. He hides the ball well, and when he doesn't try to max out his velocity, his fastball explodes out of his hand with late life. His curveball jumps straight down, and his changeup at times serves as a third above-average pitch. He's stingy with walks and home runs (allowing just six last year), and he limited lefthanders to a .201 average in Double-A. He's an absolute warrior who always gives his best effort. Oswalt needs to remember that less is more when it comes to his fastball, that he has more command and movement when he throws in the low 90s. He needs to get more consistent with his curveball and changeup, because he doesn't always finish off the latter pitch. If Oswalt continues to progress like he did last year, he'll be ready for Houston after spending a half-season in Triple-A. He has the stuff to be the club's No. 1 starter down the road, though the more established Scott Elarton does as well.
• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Oswalt, a highly touted draft-and-follow who signed with the Astros for $500,000 in 1997, spent the first six weeks this year in the high Class A Florida State League. He moved to Round Rock for what was supposed to be a lone emergency start. After throwing a 15-strikeout shutout he never left, and his 1.94 ERA was the lowest in the Texas League since Anthony Young’s 1.65 a decade earlier. Oswalt did it with a fastball that consistently hit 95 mph and maintained its speed in the later innings. His curveball painted corners and buckled knees. His stuff drew the attention of the U.S. Olympic team, which added Oswalt to its rotation. Astros assistant general manager Tim Purpura, who was on hand for Oswalt’s Double-A debut, was cautious with his praise early on but couldn’t deny the obvious by season’s end. “Oswalt has risen to every challenge he’s been faced with so far,” Purpura said. “His development has been so rapid and so positive this year that it’s hard to really estimate how high is ceiling is.”
• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  Oswalt went from relative obscurity to the U.S. Olympic team this season, and Kissimmee was his launching pad. He made just eight starts there before making an emergency start in Double-A and his 15-strikeout shutout ensured that he wouldn’t be coming back to the Florida State League. Some have likened Oswalt to a righthanded Mike Hampton because of the way both are built, but he still has a ways to go to make that comparison apt. Oswalt throws a 95 mph fastball and an outstanding curveball that still needs refinement. “You would have to call Oswalt a work in progress,” Dunedin manager Marty Pevey said. “But he’s a very good work in progress.”
• December, 1998 Scouting Report
  Originally drafted out of a rural Mississippi high school, Oswalt signed for $500,000 as a draft-and-follow after a year in junior college. He was scheduled to pitch at low Class A Quad City last season but sprained his elbow in spring training. The Astros chose to rehab the injury conservatively and kept him in extended spring training. Despite his slender frame, Oswalt has nasty raw stuff. His fastball is regularly in the 93-95 mph range and has touched 97. His curveball has the potential to become a plus major league pitch and the top breaking ball in the system. He has walked 54 hitters in 164 professional innings--impressive for a power pitcher. Durability is the first hurdle Oswalt has to clear. As he begins to build up innings, he needs to develop a changeup and spot his pitches better within the strike zone. The Astros will start Oswalt in Class A in 1999, but with his plus pitches and mature fundamentals, he has the potential to move quickly.
• December, 1998 Scouting Report
  Background: Originally drafted out of a rural Mississippi high school, Oswalt signed for $500,000 as a draft-and-follow after a year in junior college. He was scheduled to pitch at Quad City last season but sprained his elbow in spring training. The Astros chose to rehab the injury conservatively and kept him in extended spring training. Strengths: Despite his slender frame, Oswalt has nasty raw stuff. His fastball is regularly in the 93-95 mph range and has touched 97. His curveball has the potential to become a plus major league pitch and the top breaking ball in the system. He has walked 54 hitters in 164 professional innings--impressive for a power pitcher. Weaknesses: Durability is the first hurdle Oswalt has to clear. As he begins to build up innings, he needs to develop a changeup and spot his pitches better within the strike zone. The Future: The Astros will start Oswalt in Class A ball in 1999 but with Oswalt's plus pitches and mature fundamentals, he has the potential to move quickly.
• December, 1996 Scouting Report
  A 23rd-round pick in 1996, Oswalt signed with the Astros just before this year’s draft for $500,000. Despite his slight frame, Oswalt’s fastball can reach 95 mph. He has lightning-quick feet, enabling him to accelerate quickly. Oswalt goes right at hitters and already has mastered holding runners.