Kris Medlen

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #9 prospect in 2009
  After dominating as a reliever and posting a 1.17 ERA in his first two years as a pro, Medlen faced adversity for the first time in the minors at Mississppi in the opening two months of the 2008 season. He moved into the rotation and proceeded to pitch as well as any Southern League starter, going 6-5, 3.11 in 17 starts before excelling in the playoffs. Medlen features a 92-94 mph fastball and a plus curveball in the upper 80s. He also has a solid changeup and a slider he'll throw to give hitters another pitch to think about. The additional innings as a starter allowed him to improve his command. A converted shortstop, he's athletic and helps his cause as a hitter and fielder. He's aggressive and tough on the mound. Medlen is undersized, which raises questions about his durability as a starter, though his stress-free delivery and ability to throw strikes works in his favor. His command isn't as sharp as his control, and the last step in his development will be to throw more quality strikes. A promotion to Triple-A is the most likely scenario for Medlen, though he could get a long look in spring training. He has the versatility to fit in as a starter, swingman or reliever depending on Atlanta's needs.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #24 prospect in 2008
  After posting a 0.81 ERA at three stops in the lower minors, Medlen reached Double-A a little more than a year after signing as a 10th-round pick out of the 2006 draft. An aggressive pitcher with a quick and resilient arm, he doubled as a shortstop in junior college. He isn't afraid to challenge hitters with his low-90s fastball and does an excellent job of mixing his sharp curveball, which often serves as his strikeout pitch. He continues to work on his changeup, which shows promise, but he doesn't use it much out of the bullpen. While his size is less than ideal in the eyes of many scouts, Medlen pitches with great confidence and has ideal makeup for a closer. He also repeats his compact delivery well and has an easy arm action. He dominated in Hawaii Winter Baseball, striking out 27 in 14 innings, though he was shut down in November with a sore elbow. He should be healthy by spring training and could claim a role in the Atlanta bullpen in 2008.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #28 prospect in 2007
  Drafted by the Devil Rays in the 37th round out of high school, Medlen spent time at El Camino (Calif.) Junior College before transferring to Southern California juco powerhouse Santa Ana. He also played shortstop for the Warriors, but the Braves took him in the 10th round last June as a pitcher. He signed quickly for $85,000 and wasted little time opening eyes in the organization, allowing only one earned run in 20 relief outings. He tied for third in the Appalachian League with 10 saves, then added another along with a victory in the postseason to help Danville win the championship. Though he's just 5-foot-10, Medlen has a quick arm and works at 91-93 mph with his fastball. He commands it well, setting up hitters for a sharp curveball that has the potential to become a major league out pitch. He's still honing his changeup but has displayed a good feel for the pitch. He throws with an easy arm action, repeats his compact delivery with consistency and isn't afraid to go right after hitters. Medlen has drawn comparisons to former all-star closer Jeff Montgomery because of his size and overall approach to the job. He could reach high Class A at some point in his first full season.