Kyle McCulloch Stats & Scouting Report

IP	711
ERA	4.646
WHIP	1.489
BB/9	2.861
SO/9	5

Full name Kyle Roberts McCulloch
Born 03/20/1985 in Houston, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Texas
Drafted in the 1st round (29th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2006 (signed for $1,050,000).

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McCulloch's stuff isn't as sexy as the pitchers ahead of him on this list, though he's a better bet to reach his ceiling as a No. 3 or 4 starter than most. "He's a safe pick," a regional crosschecker said. "You know he's a big leaguer. Maybe you get Brad Radke out of him." The Longhorns initially signed McCulloch as a shortstop out of Houston power Bellaire High, where he played both ways but first emerged as an infielder. He's a good athlete for a pitcher and quite consistent. McCulloch's velocity has been down a little this year, as his fastball has sat at 88-90 mph, compared to 89-92 in 2005, when he won the deciding game of the College World Series. His best pitch is his plus changeup, and both his curveball and slider are effective if not spectacular. Early in the spring, he struggled when he relied too heavily on his secondary stuff, but righted himself when he returned to working off his fastball. Besides winning at premier high school and college programs, McCulloch also has proven himself against top summer competition. He held his own as a reliever in the Cape Cod League in 2004 and tied for the Team USA college team lead with four victories in 2005.

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Organization Prospect Rankings

By the nature of their status and signing bonuses, first-round picks almost always create a buzz in a farm system. However, the low-key McCulloch has been almost buzzproof since the White Sox selected him 29th overall in 2006 and handed him a $1.05 million bonus. He's a winner and an innings-eater, but he lacks the stuff to become a front-of-the-rotation starter. His best pitch is his plus changeup, which he throws in the high 70s to complement a fastball that generally sits in the high 80s, occasionally climbing to 91 mph. McCulloch used a new splitter last season in high Class A, where he was named Carolina League pitcher of the week three times, but rarely got into counts to use it after being promoted to Double-A. He has had problems with his delivery, which has some stabbing action toward the plate when it gets long. He does get a lot of groundouts, a point of emphasis for the White Sox. A former shortstop, he shows athleticism and competitiveness. He'll get another test from Double-A hitters this season, and he'll need to have more success against them to generate some buzz.
Known more as a shortstop in high school, McCulloch became a fulltime pitcher at Texas. He went 27-11 in three years with the Longhorns and won the clinching game of the 2005 College World Series. The 29th overall pick last June, he signed for $1.05 million. McCulloch's plus changeup rates as the system's best. He gets good natural movement on his 88-92 mph fastball, and his curveball is consistently effective. He has tremendous poise and challenges hitters even on days when he lacks his best stuff. He's polished, athletic and durable. McCulloch's velocity stayed in the upper 80s last year more than it had in the past, perhaps because he didn't work off his fastball enough. He won't overpower advanced hitters, and he'll have to walk a fine line while setting them up for his changeup. There's little difference between McCulloch and Lance Broadway. Broadway opened his first full season in Double-A and McCulloch likely will do the same. They could team up as mid-rotation starters for the White Sox by mid-2008.

Minor League Top Prospects

A first-round pick in 2006, McCulloch ended his first full season in Double-A. He couldn't survive in the CL on pure stuff, so he developed a splitter while with Winston-Salem to help him put away hitters more effectively. McCulloch has nice late movement to his fastball, which sat at 87-89 mph for much of the season. He also has a curveball and changeup, and the latter may be his best pitch. He's athletic, repeats his delivery and fields his position well. His upside is still up for debate, however. "He's going to have to pitch, and to his credit, he battled this year," an AL scout said. "He added a pitch because he knew he needed it. I know they hoped he'd move fast, but he isn't much more than a No. 5 and he's probably a middle guy."