Mike Leake Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Michael Raymond Leake
Born 11/12/1987 in San Diego, CA
Profile Ht.: 5'10" / Wt.: 165 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Arizona State
Debut 04/11/2010
Drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) by the Cincinnati Reds in 2009 (signed for $2,270,000).

View Draft Report

Few pitchers were as consistently good this season as Arizona State righthander Mike Leake. That shouldn't come as a surprise--he's been carving up the Pac-10 for three years. A seventh-round draft pick by the Athletics out of Fallbrook (Calif.) High in 2006, Leake instead headed for Tempe and has pitched his way into first-round consideration. Listed at 6 feet, 180 pounds, what he lacks in pure physicality, he makes up for in athleticism and results. In addition to baseball, Leake played soccer, football and basketball in high school and could be a position player at Arizona State if he wasn't so valuable on the mound. Leake pounds the strike zone with a fastball that sits 88-92 mph. He can dial it up to 94, but prefers to work at lower speeds to get more movement. Throwing from a lower three-quarters arm slot, he gets a lot of armside run and sink on his fastball that results in a lot of groundballs. He also throws a changeup, slider and cutter that grade out as above-average offerings. Leake is a smart pitcher with a bulldog mentality on the mound.

Top Rankings

Leake didn't receive the hype of No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg, but he was just as dominant during the spring, going 16-1, 1.71 at Arizona State. Sun Devils coach Pat Murphy said Leake could have been the team's best defensive third baseman or shortstop. The eighth overall pick in June, Leake signed at the Aug. 17 deadline for $2.27 million. Leake's feel for pitching and command are outstanding. He keeps hitters off balance by throwing five pitches (fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup) for strikes. He can run his fastball up to 94 mph, but it's more effective when he pitches at 88-92 with better run and sink. His changeup is deceptive, and his curve and slider are two distinct breaking pitches that play well off each other. He fields his position like an extra infielder on the mound. At 6-foot-1 and with a mostly average fastball, Leake has little margin for error and a lower ceiling than his college dominance might indicate. Few pitchers can master a five-pitch arsenal, so it's possible he'll have to drop an offering or two as he moves through the minors. For now, Cincinnati will let him use his full repertoire. The Reds drafted Leake in part because he fit in their budget, but also because he was one of the most advanced pitchers in the draft. He likely will begin his pro career in high Class A and could challenge for a big league spot by the end of the season.