David Buchanan

Georgia State got one of its biggest recruits ever when righthander Buchanan didn't sign as the Mets' sixth-round pick last year out of Chipola (Fla.) JC. Buchanan was evolving from arm-strength thrower to pitcher when a ligament problem in his middle finger put him on the sidelines for a month. He has a pro body at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, with a long, athletic frame, a decent arm action and extension out front. His funky delivery gives him deception but also makes it hard for him to repeat. He's still somewhat raw, and it shows up the most when he loses focus on the mound, which leads to command issues. Buchanan tended to pile up big pitch counts because of his wildness and averaged roughly five innings a start. He sat 92-93 mph with his fastball as a starter, touching 95, and has improved the consistency of his slider, which flashes good spin and tilt.