Michael Wacha

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked St. Louis Cardinals #6 prospect in 2013
  Wacha and Shelby Miller were the jewels of Texas A&M's 2009 recruiting class. While Miller signed out of high school, Wacha went 27-7 in three years with the Aggies before turning pro for $1.9 million as the 19th overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Cardinals eased him into pro ball as a reliever, and he responded by striking out 45 in 24 innings (including the Texas League playoffs). Wacha pitches with a 90-93 mph sinking fastball as a starter, though he worked from 94-97 while coming out of the bullpen in his pro debut. What makes his fastball devastating is his changeup, the best available in the 2012 draft. He uses a circle grip and throws it with deception and a late fade. Wacha would have gone toward the top of the draft if he had a better breaking pitch. His slider shows more promise than his curveball, though neither figures to become better than average. His command and competitiveness are two more pluses in his favor. After reaching Double-A in his pro debut, Wacha will return to Springfield in 2013, this time as a starter. It's easy to project him as a mid-rotation starter, and he could turn into something more if he finds a reliable breaking ball.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #8 prospect in 2012 draft
  After the consensus top three college pitchers (Stanford's Mark Appel, Louisiana State's Kevin Gausman, San Francisco's Kyle Zimmer) go off the board, Wacha could be the next one selected. He owns the best changeup in the draft, a pitch that can be devastating when he sets it up with a 90-93 mph fastball that peaks at 96. His command also is as good as any pitcher in this crop, as is his competitiveness. He also has an athletic 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame and delivers his pitches on a tough angle to the plate. The only thing keeping him from being considered on the top tier of college arms is the lack of a plus breaking ball. Wacha made progress with a slider last summer under the tutelage of Team USA pitching coach Rob Walton, and he also throws a curveball. Wacha generally sticks with whichever breaking pitch is working best on a given day. Both pitches can get loose at times and project as no better than average at the big league level. Despite that one shortcoming, he still could find his way into the first 10 picks. He may not have the ceiling of Appel, Gausman or Zimmer, but Wacha has a higher floor.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #5 prospect in 2013
  Wacha toyed with the PCL, showing great command with his fastball that tops out around 97 mph and sits in the 91-95 range. A projected front-of-the-rotation workhorse, Wacha kept hitters off balance with an effective changeup that he was able to keep down in the strike zone. Wacha can also use a slider and a curve with a degree of effectiveness, with his 12-to-6 curve showing more potential, but the real key to his success is the ability to pound the strike zone with all of his pitches. He averaged 7.7 strikeouts and 2.0 walks per nine innings. ?He?s got a great arm,? Iowa manager Marty Pevey said. ?He?s always around the plate and his pitches have a lot of movement.?

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #76 prospect in 2013

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Wacha and Shelby Miller were the jewels of Texas A&M's 2009 recruiting class. While Miller signed out of high school, Wacha went 27-7 in three years with the Aggies before turning pro for a $1.9 million as the 19th overall pick in the 2012 draft. The Cardinals eased him into pro ball as a reliever, and he responded by striking out 45 in 24 innings (including the Texas League playoffs). Scouting Report: Wacha pitches with a 90-93 mph sinking fastball as a starter, though he worked from 94-97 while coming out of the bullpen in his pro debut. What makes his fastball devastating is his changeup, the best available in the 2012 draft. He uses a circle grip and throws it with deception and a late fade. Wacha would have gone toward the top of the draft if he had a better breaking pitch. His slider shows more promise than his curveball, though neither figures to become better than average. His command and competitiveness are two more pluses in his favor. The Future: After reaching Double-A in his pro debut, Wacha will return to Springfield in 2013, this time as a starter. It's easy to project him as a mid-rotation starter, and he could turn into something more if he finds a reliable breaking ball.