Tyler Skaggs

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #1 prospect in 2013
  Skaggs was a three-sport star at Santa Monica (Calif.) High, where his mother Debbie was the longtime softball coach. He eventually gave up basketball and football to focus on baseball and pitched his way into the supplemental first round of the 2009 draft. The Diamondbacks hoped to take him with the 41st overall selection, but the Angels beat them to the punch at No. 40. He was part of a strong Angels draft class that already has sent Mike Trout, Skaggs, Garrett Richards, Patrick Corbin and Drew Carpenter to the majors. Skaggs signed for $1 million just before the Aug. 17 deadline, giving up a Cal State Fullerton commitment. Arizona finally got him a year later, acquiring him as the centerpiece of a July 2010 trade for Dan Haren. The Diamondbacks also received Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez and Joe Saunders. Skaggs' fastball velocity and prospect stock have risen in each of his two full seasons with Arizona, and he represented the organization in the last two Futures Games. He ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Double-A Southern League and No. 4 in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2012, going a combined 9-6, 2.87 with 116 strikeouts in 123 innings before making his major league debut on Aug. 22. He beat the Marlins in his big league start and pitched well in his next two before he tired and his velocity dropped in his next three. Arizona shut him down for the season after the Padres beat him on Sept. 20. The jewel of Skaggs' repertoire is a sharp 12-to-6 curveball that he throws in the mid-70s. It features late, sharp break and is regarded as one of the best in the minors. He set it up with a fastball that ranges from 89-94 mph and features some armside run. He delivers his heater with good downhill plane and spots it to both sides of the plate. He throws in the low 90s more consistently than he ever has, and he also has improved his fastball command. Skaggs' changeup gives him a potential third plus pitch, but he needs to trust it more. It arrives at 78-80 mph, has some fade and plays well off his fastball. He can dominate hitters when all three pitches are working for him. Skaggs has smooth, easy mechanics and uses a high three-quarters arm slot. His athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery and consistently command his pitches. He also stands out for his composure on the mound and his idea of what he needs to do with each hitter. He holds runners well with a strong pickoff move, permitting just five steals in eight attempts last year. He didn't give up a single swipe in his six major league starts. He fields his position well. Skaggs will be just 21 when spring training rolls around, but he has an excellent chance of earning a spot in the Arizona rotation when camp breaks. There's still projection remaining in his lanky frame, so there's a chance he could continue to get stronger and add velocity to his fastball. One of the top lefthanded pitching prospects in the game, he projects as a No. 2 starter.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #3 prospect in 2012
  The Diamondbacks wanted Skaggs with the 41st overall choice in the 2009 draft, but the Angels took him one pick earlier and signed him for $1 million. Arizona finally got its man in July 2010, when he was the key piece in a four-player package Los Angeles gave up for Dan Haren. In his first full year in the system, Skaggs rated as the No. 1 prospect in the high Class A California League and was named Diamondbacks minor league pitcher of the year. Skaggs' money pitch is his 12-to-6 curveball with late, sharp break that's a true swing-and-miss pitch. He sets it up by moving his lively 88-93 mph fastball around the strike zone. His fastball velocity increased in 2011, sitting in the low 90s more consistently, and he may add more as he fills out his projectable frame. His changeup is at least an average pitch, a 78-82 mph offering that sinks below the zone with a side-to-side curl. Skaggs repeats his delivery well and throws strikes. He has great poise on the mound and is a fierce competitor. Originally projected as a No. 3 starter, Skaggs has revised that outlook and now looks like he can pitch at the front of a rotation. He handled Double-A so easily that he'll probably open 2012 at Triple-A Reno as a 20-year-old.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Diamondbacks #2 prospect in 2011
  The Diamondbacks hoped to take Skaggs with the 41st overall pick in 2009, but the Angels took him one choice earlier and signed him for $1 million. Arizona got him in the Dan Haren trade last July, with Skaggs the key player in a four-pitcher package that also included Joe Saunders and prospects Pat Corbin and Rafael Rodriguez. Skaggs has a long, lean athletic body with plenty of projection. His primary weapon is his above-average curveball, which he throws in the low 70s and locates where he wants. His curve ranks as the best in the system. He also commands his 88-92 mph fastball, and could add more velocity as he fills out his lanky frame. He's refining a changeup that could give him a third plus pitch down the road. Scouts note his aggressiveness and confidence on the mound, and they like how he goes about his business. Skaggs profiles as a solid No. 3 starter right now, and he can become a frontline starter if his fastball and changeup develop as hoped. He's still just 19 and has just 108 innings of pro experience, so the Diamondbacks won't rush him. He'll likely move through the minors one level at a time, which put him on schedule to begin 2011 at high Class A Visalia.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #8 prospect in 2010
  The first of a run of tall, loose-armed pitchers drafted by the Angels in their 2009 draft bonanza, Skaggs signed for $1 million in early August as the 40th overall pick. A threesport star at Santa Monica (Calif.) High, where his mother Debbie is volleyball coach, he grew up an Angels fan and passed on a Cal State Fullerton scholarship to turn pro. He consistently pitched well in front of scouts, but an ankle injury during the spring helped drop him out of the first round. Skaggs is the textbook definition of projectable. He's long-limbed, athletic and blessed with incredible arm speed. He delivers a lively 88-91 mph fastball down in the zone, and he could sit more comfortably at 92-93 with armside run when his upper body matures. His hard 75-78 mph slider is a knockout offering that features two-plane break. He likes to mix in a slow curveball as a surprise third pitch. He maintains a free and easy motion that reminds the Angels of Brian Matusz, whom they let slip away as a fourth-rounder out of high school in 2005. Los Angeles wants Skaggs to develop his below-average changeup at the expense of the slow curve. He shows some feel for the changeup, but it's a long ways away. Because he logged just 10 innings after signing, Skaggs may stay behind in extended spring training at the start of 2010. He projects as a solid mid-rotation starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #17 prospect in 2013
  Skaggs reached Triple-A in 2012 and got some big league time with the Diamondbacks, who were expecting to see more of him in Arizona this summer. Instead, he appeared to take a step backward this season, though his strikeout and walk rates improved. Skaggs particularly struggled at home in Reno, with a 6.86 ERA in 42 innings compared to 3.05 in 62 road frames. Skaggs? success is contingent upon getting to his plus curveball, set up by his fastball. That pitch proved more hittable this season, due both to insufficient command and a dip in velocity. After sitting 89-93 mph last year and early in 2013, Skaggs? fastball at times sat 88-91 mph in the second half. The pitch also straightens out when he leaves it up. He also throws a changeup that he trusts, but at times it was too firm after his fastball backed up.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #3 prospect in 2012
  Skaggs has blossomed since he was the key piece of a deal that sent Dan Haren to the Angels at the 2010 trade deadline. He finished last year by helping Mobile win the SL championship, then was just as effective at the start of this year before earning promotions to Triple-A and the majors. Skaggs uses his height to create good downhill action that gives his 88-93 mph some running life. His best weapon is a 12-to-6 curveball and his fading changeup plays well off his fastball. His athleticism lends him solid command that helps his pitches play up. "He's been mostly a two-pitch pitcher at any given time," Ward said. "But when all three are working, that's when he's able to dominate."
• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #4 prospect in 2012
  Though Skaggs is less celebrated than Reno teammate Trevor Bauer, he's more polished and outperformed him in their first exposure to majors. While Bauer lasted just four starts with the Diamondbacks, Skaggs seemingly moved into Arizona's rotation for good in late August. Skaggs' 88-93 mph fastball plays up because he locates it well, down in the zone with angle to both sides of the plate. His curveball is a potential plus pitch, sitting in the mid-70s with sharp break, and he also mixes in a solid changeup with fade that ranges from 78-80 mph. He's athletic, which allows him to repeat his high three-quarters delivery and command his pitches.
• 
  Ranked Southern League #2 prospect in 2011
  Skaggs signed with the Angels as a supplemental first-round pick in 2009, then moved to the Diamondbacks a year later in a four-player deal for Dan Haren. Skaggs made a strong first impression with his new organization, ranking fourth in the minors with 198 strikeouts and making his Double-A debut two days after his 20th birthday. He has a simple delivery and feel for pitching beyond his years. He commands a lively 88-92 mph fastball that can touch a tick higher. His best pitch is his sharp curveball, though some scouts think he'll have to make adjustments as hitters at higher levels will recognize the pitch out of his hand earlier. Skaggs also shows feel for a changeup that has good fade, giving him another potential plus pitch.
• 
  Ranked California League #1 prospect in 2011
  Arizona hoped to acquire Skaggs with the 41st pick in the 2009 draft, only to see the Angels nab him at No. 40. The Diamondbacks finally got their man last year in a trade for Dan Haren, and Skaggs rewarded them with a dominant 2011 season. He worked a career-high 158 innings, ranked fourth in the minors with 198 strikeouts and had no trouble making the jump to Double-A. Skaggs' big-breaking curveball became even more effective this season as the development of his other two offerings took a significant step forward. Most notable was his improved command of his low-90s fastball, a pitch that jumps on hitters and that he can locate to both sides of the plate. He showed more confidence this season in his fading changeup, which gives him a third plus pitch. "His curveball is probably his best pitch," Visalia manager Jason Hardtke said, "but it's that good because he has a plus fastball."
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #10 prospect in 2010
  The Diamondbacks nearly took Skaggs before opting for Davidson with the No. 35 pick in the 2009 draft. The Angels grabbed him at No. 40, one selection ahead of Arizona's next choice. Fourteen months later, the Diamondbacks finally landed him as the player to be named in the Dan Haren trade. A projectable lefthander, Skaggs easily has the most upside of the four players Arizona received in the deal. His low-70s curveball is a plus pitch that he locates for strikes. He throws his fastball at 88-92 mph, with more velocity to come once he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame, which he uses to pitch on a downward angle tough on hitters. His changeup also has its moments, and if everything comes together, he could have three plus pitches. He already has more poise and command than most teenagers. "This must be what Cole Hamels looked like," Mosiello said.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #12 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #13 prospect in 2012
• Ranked Baseball America's #82 prospect in 2011

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Skaggs was a three-sport star at Santa Monica (Calif.) High, where his mother Debbie was the longtime softball coach. He eventually gave up basketball and football to focus on baseball and pitched his way into the supplemental first round of the 2009 draft. The Diamondbacks hoped to take him with the 41st overall selection, but the Angels beat them to the punch at No. 40. He was part of a strong Angels draft class that already has sent Mike Trout, Skaggs, Garrett Richards, Patrick Corbin and Drew Carpenter to the majors. Skaggs signed for $1 million just before the Aug. 17 deadline, giving up a Cal State Fullerton commitment. Arizona finally got him a year later, acquiring him as the centerpiece of a July 2010 trade for Dan Haren. The Diamondbacks also received Corbin, Rafael Rodriguez and Joe Saunders. Skaggs' fastball velocity and prospect stock have risen in each of his two full seasons with Arizona, and he represented the organization in the last two Futures Games. He ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Double-A Southern League and No. 4 in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League in 2012, going a combined 9-6, 2.87 with 116 strikeouts in 123 innings before making his major league debut on Aug. 22. He beat the Marlins in his big league start and pitched well in his next two before he tired and his velocity dropped in his next three. The Diamondbacks shut him down for the season after the Padres beat him on Sept. 20. Scouting Report: The jewel of Skaggs' repertoire is a sharp 12-to-6 curveball that he throws in the mid-70s. It features late, sharp break and is regarded as one of the best in the minors. He set it up with a fastball that ranges from 89-94 mph and features some armside run. He delivers his heater with good downhill plane and spots it to both sides of the plate. He throws in the low 90s more consistently than he ever has, and he also has improved his fastball command as well. Skaggs' changeup gives him a potential third plus pitch, but he needs to trust it more. It arrives at 78-80 mph, has some fade and plays well off his fastball. He can dominate hitters when all three pitches are working for him. Skaggs has smooth, easy mechanics and uses a high three-quarters arm slot. His athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery and consistently command his pitches. He also stands out for his composure on the mound and his idea of what he needs to do with each hitter. He holds runners well with a strong pickoff move, permitting just five steals in eight attempts last year. He didn't give up a single stolen base in his six major league starts and he uses his athleticism to field his position well. The Future: Skaggs will only be 21 when spring training rolls around, but he has an excellent chance of earning a spot in the Arizona rotation when camp breaks. There's still some projection remaining in his lanky frame, so there's a chance he could continue to get stronger and add more velocity to his fastball. One of the top lefthanded pitching prospects in the game, he projects as a No. 2 starter.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Diamondbacks wanted Skaggs with the 41st overall choice in the 2009 draft, but the Angels took him one pick earlier and signed him for $1 million. Arizona finally got its man in July 2010, when he was the key piece in a four-player package Los Angeles gave up for Dan Haren. In his first full year in the system, Skaggs rated as the No. 1 prospect in the high Class A California League. Scouting Report: Skaggs' money pitch is his 12-to-6 curveball with late, sharp break that's a true swing-and-miss pitch. He sets it up by moving his lively 88-93 mph fastball around the strike zone. His fastball velocity increased in 2011, sitting in the low 90s more consistently, and he may add more as he fills out his projectable frame. His changeup is at lease an average pitch, a 78-82 mph offering that sinks below the zone with a side-to-side curl. Skaggs repeats his delivery well and throws strikes. He has great poise on the mound and is a fierce competitor. The Future: Originally projected as a No. 3 starter, Skaggs has revised that outlook and now looks like he can pitch at the front of a rotation. He handled Double-A so easily that he'll probably open 2012 at Triple-A Reno as a 20-year-old.
• December, 2010 Scouting Report
  Background: The Diamondbacks hoped to take Skaggs with the 41st overall pick in 2009, but the Angels took him one choice earlier and signed him for $1 million. Arizona got him in the Dan Haren trade last July, with Skaggs the key player in a four-pitcher package that also included Joe Saunders and prospects Patrick Corbin and Rafael Rodriguez. Scouting Report: Skaggs has a long, lean athletic body with plenty of projection. His primary weapon is his above-average curveball, which he throws in the low 70s and locates where he wants. His curve ranks as the best in the system. He also commands his 88-92 mph fastball, and could add more velocity as he fills out his lanky frame. He's refining a changeup that could give him a third plus pitch down the road. Scouts note his aggressiveness and confidence on the mound, and they like how he goes about his business. The Future: Skaggs profiles as a solid No. 3 starter right now, and he can become a frontline starter is his fastball and changeup develop as hoped. He's still just 19 and has just 108 innings of pro experience, so the Diamondbacks won't rush him. He'll likely move through the minors one level at a time, which put him on schedule to begin 2011 at high Class A Visalia.