Austin Maddox
| IP | 17 |
|---|---|
| ERA | .529 |
| WHIP | .882 |
| BB/9 | 1.059 |
| SO/9 | 7.412 |
- Full name Austin Maddox
- Born 05/13/1991 in Jacksonville, FL
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Florida
- Debut 06/17/2017
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Drafted in the 3rd round (118th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2012 (signed for $350,000).
View Draft Report
Maddox was a decorated amateur player who at one time projected as a first-round pick due to his power bat and arm strength. A high school catcher and pitcher, he fell to the 37th round of the 2009 draft (Rays) after ranking No. 81 on BA's Top 200 draft prospects. Maddox went to Florida and has helped the program make consecutive trips to Omaha while transforming himself as a player. Blocked at catcher by Mike Zunino, Maddox hit 17 home runs as a freshman corner infielder but tumbled to six in 2011 with the less-potent bats, and his lack of selectivity and a defensive position drove down his stock as a hitter. After not pitching as a freshman, he seized the closer role as a sophomore, and he remains there as a junior. Scouts now view him as a pitcher, though his background as an everyday player days comes through in his competitiveness. Maddox has closer makeup and mound presence to spare, with confidence and an attacking mentality. At his best, he features a 92-94 mph fastball that has reached 96, and he gets swings and misses in the strike zone with it. His arm action causes his offspeed stuff to be erratic, but scouts think his mechanics can be refined with a full focus on the mound. He throws a slurvy slider, which is effective when he stays on top of it, and a changeup that gives hitters a different look. He's had some rotator cuff tendinitis this spring but generally has handled a heavy workload well, and his 6-foot-3, 235-pound body should help him hold up under a pro workload.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Maddox endured an undistinguished first few years in the Red Sox's system, a period in which he didn't move beyond Class A while struggling on the field and missing time due to off-field issues. But starting in 2016, Maddox's velocity--roughly 91-92 mph at the beginning of 2016--started to creep up, and he impressed as a non-roster invitee in spring training, becoming one of the final cups of camp. When he finally got his big league opportunity, he was determined to take advantage of it, attacking the strike zone with a four-seam fastball that sat at 93-96 mph with sink and tail, an offering he complemented with a changeup that showed enough depth to create an effective north-south mix against big league hitters. He also features an occasional slider that scouts think could be average in the future. The mix was enough to earn Maddox a surprise spot on Boston's playoff roster. Maddox lacks a true plus out pitch that would give him a clear path to a setup role, but he showed the ability to be a useful big league bullpen piece in 2018 on the strength of his fastball.
Draft Prospects
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Maddox was a decorated amateur player who at one time projected as a first-round pick due to his power bat and arm strength. A high school catcher and pitcher, he fell to the 37th round of the 2009 draft (Rays) after ranking No. 81 on BA's Top 200 draft prospects. Maddox went to Florida and has helped the program make consecutive trips to Omaha while transforming himself as a player. Blocked at catcher by Mike Zunino, Maddox hit 17 home runs as a freshman corner infielder but tumbled to six in 2011 with the less-potent bats, and his lack of selectivity and a defensive position drove down his stock as a hitter. After not pitching as a freshman, he seized the closer role as a sophomore, and he remains there as a junior. Scouts now view him as a pitcher, though his background as an everyday player days comes through in his competitiveness. Maddox has closer makeup and mound presence to spare, with confidence and an attacking mentality. At his best, he features a 92-94 mph fastball that has reached 96, and he gets swings and misses in the strike zone with it. His arm action causes his offspeed stuff to be erratic, but scouts think his mechanics can be refined with a full focus on the mound. He throws a slurvy slider, which is effective when he stays on top of it, and a changeup that gives hitters a different look. He's had some rotator cuff tendinitis this spring but generally has handled a heavy workload well, and his 6-foot-3, 235-pound body should help him hold up under a pro workload.
