Trey Haley Stats & Scouting Report

IP	466
ERA	4.616
WHIP	1.592
BB/9	6.373
SO/9	8.247

Full name Curtis Richard Haley
Born 06/21/1990 in Nacogdoches, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Central Heights
Drafted in the 2nd round (76th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in 2008 (signed for $1,250,000).

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Earlier in the spring, Haley had a chance to be the first pitcher drafted out of Texas. He generated buzz by touching 95 mph with projection remaining in his 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame. He couldn't sustain that velocity when crosscheckers and scouting directors came in to see him, usually pitching at 91-92 mph in the first inning before sitting at 88-89 mph. He tends to overthrow, putting a lot of effort and a head jerk into his delivery when he does. He flashes a promising curveball and a changeup, but he's not consistent. He struggles to repeat his mechanics, which affects his control and command. Like many of the most promising high school pitchers in Texas this spring, Haley will be difficult to sign. It may take first-round money to lure him away from Rice, and the difference between his present and his future is too great for clubs to make that kind of investment.

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After receiving the largest bonus in the Indians' 2008 draft class at $1.25 million, Haley has been a tease. He may have the best pure stuff of any pitcher in the system, but he frustrates evaluators with an inability to stay healthy or throw the ball over the plate. His velocity picked up when the Indians moved him to relief in 2011. He can touch triple digits and sits easily in the mid-90s with late sinking action. He has a second plus pitch in his true curveball, a swing-and-miss pitch when he's able to set it up, and he can mix in some tight sliders as well. The Indians had Haley ditch throwing from the windup and go exclusively from the stretch at Double-A Akron in 2013 in an effort to help him throw strikes, yet his control issues were as bad as ever with a walk rate of nearly eight batters per nine innings. Haley throws with a violent delivery, landing hard on his front foot and finishing with a head whack. He doesn't help himself by often trying to overpower every hitter, and the Indians have encouraged him to throw more curveballs even early in counts. Haley has a laundry list of injuries in his past, including a sports hernia operation in 2012, but thus far he has avoided anything major. The Indians won't give up on his potential as an impact reliever until his time runs out.
The Indians paid Haley $1.25 million as a second-round pick out of high school in 2008, an investment that quickly looked like it might not yield any return. After struggling as a starter, he moved to the bullpen in 2011, a transition that helped restore his prospect status. Despite missing two months in the middle of 2012 because he had surgery to repair a sports hernia in June, he had the best year of his career. After sitting at 88-92 mph and touching 95 when he started, Haley's fastball now operates at 93-98 mph, has touched 100 and features late, heavy life. His curveball had good depth to begin with, and he has added more power to it coming out of the bullpen. It shows flashes of becoming a plus offering. Haley's biggest obstacle is his lack of control, which stems from his delivery. He throws with effort and finishes with a head whack, so repeating his mechanics isn't easy for him. If he can develop even fringe-average control, he has the power stuff to eventually earn a major league bullpen role. Added to Cleveland's 40-man roster in November, he could open 2013 in Triple-A and make his big league debut later in the season.
After signing out of high school for $1.25 million as a second-round pick in 2008, Haley quickly looked like a colossal disappointment. He spent his first two full seasons struggling in low Class A, and by the end of 2010 he had a 6.10 career ERA with more walks (158) than strikeouts (156). The Indians moved him to the bullpen in 2011, a maneuver that has salvaged his career and helped his velocity soar, even as he pitched through a groin injury. Haley showed an 88-92 mph fastball that touched 95 in high school, and he remained in that range as a starter. Last year out of the bullpen, he sat around 95-96 mph with plus sink and reached 100 mph. He has the feel to spin a curveball that's a plus pitch at times, with good depth and power bite. Throwing strikes and controlling his delivery are still obstacles for Haley. He's athletic, which should help him make adjustments, but his mechanics aren't fluid and he's still too wild. He eventually may work from the stretch full-time to simplify his delivery. Haley has the raw stuff to be a late-inning reliever. He'll move up to Double-A to start 2012.
Haley was the Texas Class 2A 2008 player of the year after starring as a pitcher and an outfielder. The Indians made him the first high schooler drafted from the state in June, nabbing him in the second round and 76th overall. They lured him away from a strong commitment to Rice with a $1.25 million bonus, more money than they gave to first-rounder Lonnie Chisenhall. Haley generated buzz early in the spring by touching 94 mph, but when crosscheckers and scouts flocked to see him, he usually worked at 91-92 in the first inning before dropping down to 88-89 later in games. He flashes a power curveball with two-plane break that's a plus pitch at times but is inconsistent. His changeup also shows promise as well. Haley has an athletic, projectable frame, and with his size he gets good downward angle toward home plate. He struggles to repeat his mechanics, which impedes his command. He also has a tendency to overthrow with effort and a head-jerk in his delivery. Of the players that the Indians went over slot recommendations to sign in 2008, Haley offers the highest upside.