Trevor Cahill
| IP | 1507 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.258 |
| WHIP | 1.368 |
| BB/9 | 3.673 |
| SO/9 | 6.874 |
- Full name Trevor John Cahill
- Born 03/01/1988 in Oceanside, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 223 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Vista
- Debut 04/07/2009
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Drafted in the 2nd round (66th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2006 (signed for $560,000).
View Draft Report
When shoulder surgery sidelined lefthander Gavin Brooks of Rancho Buena Vista High, Cahill emerged as San Diego's top prep player. Primarily a shortstop his first two seasons, Cahill had thrown just 19 innings prior to 2006. He was sitting 86-88 mph with his fastball in the fall, but came out in the spring dominating hitters with two average pitches and surprising feel and command for such an inexperienced pitcher. Cahill has pitched at 90-91 with his fastball most of the spring, touching 93 mph, and has a swing-and-miss breaking ball. It's usually described as a spike curveball with excellent downer action, and hitters have been overmatched when Cahill commands both of his primary pitches. He's a solid athlete and outstanding student. While his Vista rotation mate, Cal State Fullerton signee McCullough Dean, had attracted heavy recruiting interest, Cahill committed to Dartmouth of the Ivy League. Academics are important to Cahill, and buying him out of school will be expensive. That may be a more difficult proposition for teams after a May start when a weakened Cahill, fighting off a case of strep throat, struggled in a three-inning stint in front of several crosscheckers, then didn't pitch for more than 10 days.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The A's top pick (second round) in 2006, Cahill teamed with Brett Anderson at two minor league stops and the Olympics, helping Team USA win bronze. Cahill works off an 88-92 mph two-seam fastball with outstanding heavy sink and running life, enabling him to rack up both grounders and swinging strikes. He also can touch 94 mph with his four-seamer. He backs up his fastballs with a nasty 79-81 mph knuckle-curve, a swing-and-miss pitch with hard downward movement. He also has another tough breaking ball in a low-80s slider with cutter-like action at times. He's a good athlete with a simple, compact delivery and good balance over the rubber. Cahill's changeup should become an average pitch, but he'll need to throw it more against higher-caliber competition. Though his mechanics are sound, he sometimes cuts his extension a little short out front, placing more strain on his back and shoulder. He strained his ribcage at the Olympics and didn't pitch afterward, though he threw off flat ground in instructional league and will be ready for 2009. With some slight mechanical tweaks and improved command, Cahill could end up as a top-of-the-rotation starter. He should open 2009 in Triple-A and make his big league debut later in the season. -
With limited experience and a commitment to Dartmouth clouding his availability prior to his high school senior season, Cahill was somewhat of an unknown commodity early in 2006. But he pitched his way into first-round consideration until he was slowed by a bout with strep throat. Oakland was glad to take him with its top pick (second round) and sign him for $560,000. He opened 2007 in extended spring training and struggled early after reporting to low Class A Kane County, but he was one of the Midwest League's top pitchers in August, going 5-0, 0.74 with 44 strikeouts and just 20 hits allowed in 37 innings. Extremely mature for his age, Cahill showed good mound presence and poise as a 19-year-old in the MWL. He has good downward life and natural sink on his 88-92 mph fastball, but his upper-70s curveball rates as his best pitch. Hitters have a tough time picking up the rotation on it out of his hand, and he'll use it in any count. His changeup took a major step forward. He's a good athlete with a simple, compact delivery that he repeats well. As good as his curveball is, Cahill is reluctant to throw it in the strike zone, preferring to bury it. He needs to have consistent confidence in both his curve and changeup in order to reach his potential. He also could use another breaking ball to vary his looks--possibly a slider to give him another weapon against lefthanders. Cahill has the size, strength, makeup and stuff to project as a No. 2 or 3 starter down the road and draws comparisons to former A's righthander Mike Moore. He'll begin his first full season at high Class A Stockton in 2008. -
With just 19 innings under his belt entering his senior season in high school, Cahill was an unknown quantity leading up to the 2006 draft. His commitment to Dartmouth also complicated matters. He pitched his way into first-round consideration until strep throat resulted in a pair of poor outings in May. Oakland thought it would take a hitter with its top choice (second round), but changed gears when Cahill was available and signed him for $560,000. Cahill offers plenty of projection. At his best, his fastball sits at 92-94 mph and his spike curveball is a plus-plus pitch. His curve is a power breaker that could become a swing-and-miss big league pitch. A former high school shortstop, Cahill has the athletic ability to make quick adjustments and respond to coaching. It wasn't just strep throat that affected Cahill's stuff. His inexperience as a pitcher has led to an inability to hold his stuff, during starts and from outing to outing. The A's are confident Cahill will become more consistent with a professional approach to conditioning, training and preparation. He also needs to come up with a changeup. Cahill may be less refined than other young A's arms, but his combination of size, health, stuff and intelligence makes him the best bet among them. He may start 2007 in extended spring training and play in short-season Vancouver before making his full-season debut the following year.
Minor League Top Prospects
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One scout said Cahill could have dominated in the big leagues on his best days this season and regarded him as a potential No. 1 starter, and he garnered Brandon Webb comparisons because of his power sinker. Cahill offers everything teams want in a pitcher: a big, strong frame with athleticism and a live arm, good deception, strong makeup and a feel for pitching. Cahill's best pitch is his fastball, which touched 96 mph this summer and has good running life. He offers two good breaking balls as well, an 11-to-5 curveball and a hard slider, which he can also throw from different angles. His changeup should be an average pitch. With his repertoire and command, hitters often had to guess which pitch was coming next, slowing down their bats and rarely resulting in good contact. He easily handled the jump to Double-A as a 20-year-old as well as the pressure of pitching in the Olympics. -
We asked three different scouts to identify Kane County's best pitching prospect, and we got three different answers. One went for Henry Rodriguez, who touches 98 mph but still is trying to figure out everything else about his craft. One opted for Andrew Bailey, who has three interesting pitches and finished the year in Triple-A (but also is 23). We went with Door No. 3: Cahill, Oakland's top pick (second round) in the 2006 draft, because he has the best chance to become a mid-rotation starter. His stuff is fringy to average across the board right now, with his two best pitches an 88-92 mph fastball with late sink and a slider that has his moments. But he's polished for a 19-year-old and matured as the season went on, allowing just six runs (never more than one in an outing) over his final nine starts. Because his delivery isn't especially loose or effortless, Cahill may not have as much projection remaining as his youth and lanky 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame might indicate. Yet if he refines his changeup and command, he should continue to have success.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Curveball in the Oakland Athletics in 2009
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the California League in 2008
Scouting Reports
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The A's top pick (second round) in 2006, Cahill teamed with Brett Anderson at two minor league stops and the Olympics, helping Team USA win bronze. Cahill works off an 88-92 mph two-seam fastball with outstanding heavy sink and running life, enabling him to rack up both grounders and swinging strikes. He also can touch 94 mph with his four-seamer. He backs up his fastballs with a nasty 79-81 mph knuckle-curve, a swing-and-miss pitch with hard downward movement. He also has another tough breaking ball in a low-80s slider with cutter-like action at times. He's a good athlete with a simple, compact delivery and good balance over the rubber. Cahill's changeup should become an average pitch, but he'll need to throw it more against higher-caliber competition. Though his mechanics are sound, he sometimes cuts his extension a little short out front, placing more strain on his back and shoulder. He strained his ribcage at the Olympics and didn't pitch afterward, though he threw off flat ground in instructional league and will be ready for 2009. With some slight mechanical tweaks and improved command, Cahill could end up as a top-of-the-rotation starter. He should open 2009 in Triple-A and make his big league debut later in the season.
