Justin Masterson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	1201
ERA	4.309
WHIP	1.398
BB/9	3.732
SO/9	7.524

Full name Justin Daniel Masterson
Born 03/22/1985 in Kingston, Jamaica
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 260 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School San Diego State
Debut 04/24/2008
Drafted in the 2nd round (71st overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2006 (signed for $510,000).

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The Mountain West Conference isn't an easy league to pitch in thanks to its array of high-altitude ballparks, and San Diego State hasn't earned a regional berth since 1991. Nevertheless, when Masterson emerged as a prospect last summer in the Cape Cod League he chose to transfer to San Diego State. Born in Jamaica (while his father and mother were doing missionary work), Masterson was a late bloomer, growing eight inches in high school and playing catcher until he was a junior. He spent his first two college seasons at NAIA Bethel (Ind.). Though raw, he had a consistent season for the Aztecs, taking the ball every week for a struggling team whose pitching staff was ravaged by injuries. Masterson pounds the strike zone with a fastball that can sit in the low 90s, topping out at 94 mph. He stays tall in his delivery and keeps his fastball in the lower half of the strike zone; he allowed just eight homers in 110 innings. Masterson's changeup and slider remain inconsistent, and scouts believe all his stuff would play up in the bullpen. His best profile may be as a reliever who can pitch frequently with a durable frame, avoid walks (just 24 this season) and get key groundballs.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

After beginning his high school career as a catcher, Masterson first blossomed as a prospect in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2005. He transferred from Bethel (Ind.) to San Diego State, went in the second round of the 2006 draft and reached Double-A in his first full pro season. Using a low three-quarters arm slot, Masterson unleashes a special sinker. With its combination of low-90s velocity and heavy movement, batters feel like they're trying to hit a bowling ball. His No. 2 pitch is a slider that improved last season. He showed his toughness by not giving in when he went 2-3, 6.31 in his first nine starts at hitter-friendly Lancaster, making adjustments so he could survive the wind tunnel there. Because he throws from a lower arm angle, Masterson doesn't always stay on top of his slider. His changeup is getting better but also is inconsistent and he doesn't use it enough. He worked a career-high 154 innings and tired down the stretch, so he'll need to get stronger. The Red Sox will send Masterson to Triple-A as a starter but envision him becoming a big league reliever. He has the power sinker and the mentality to close games, though in Boston he'd be a setup man for Jonathan Papelbon.
Masterson was a second-round pick in 2006 after being anonymous a year earlier. He was primarily a catcher until his junior year in high school and spent his first two seasons in college at NAIA Bethel (Ind.). He gained notoriety in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2005, when scouts fell in love with his huge frame and hard sinker/slider combination. After he signed for $510,000, the Red Sox kept Masterson in the bullpen and on short pitch counts because he logged 116 innings in the spring at San Diego State. He excelled in that role, just as he did on the Cape. Masterson throws from a low three-quarters angle that generates so much life on his pitches that he can be tough to catch. His out pitch is an 89-92 mph fastball that touches 94 and is more notable for its heavy sink and his ability to command it. He put up eye-popping numbers in his debut, including a 0.85 ERA, 33-2 K-BB ratio and 45-16 ground-fly ratio. His slider is a decent pitch with promise, though Boston had him scrap it in instructional league to focus on his changeup. He showed good feel for the changeup, and the Sox think he can develop three pitches and will use him as a starter until he shows a need to do otherwise. If he returns to the bullpen, he has the out pitch and poise to be a set-up man and possibly a closer. Rotation spots could be in short supply at Lancaster, so Masterson may open his first full season in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Masterson found the EL to be a pitcher's paradise after escaping from high Class A Lancaster, home of the minors' best hitter's park. He got off to a tremendous start in Portland before tiring late, as his sinker and slider flattened out a bit. At his best, Masterson was a groundball machine (he got 3.5 groundouts for every flyout) and missed bats as well. He drives downhill in his delivery and has natural sink on his low-90s fastball, which can touch 94. It's heady territory for someone who was pitching at the NAIA level two years ago. Many scouts have likened Masterson to Mike Timlin since seeing him in the Cape Cod League in 2005. If Masterson's changeup doesn't become more consistent soon, the Red Sox may not be able to resist the lure of putting a hard-throwing sinkerballer with good control in the bullpen.
Masterson showed off tremendous polish in his first full pro season, particularly considering he was pitching in hitter-friendly Lancaster. After going 2-3, 6.31 in his first nine starts, he adjusted and went 6-2, 2.52 in his last eight before earning a promotion to Double-A. Masterson controls the strike zone with a heavy 91-92 mph sinker, getting extra movement by using a low three-quarters delivery. His slider improved and became a go-to pitch. He throws strikes, keeps the ball down and has shown some feel for a changeup, though some scouts think he projects better as a reliever than as a starter. "He has tremendous makeup," Lancaster manager Chad Epperson said. "His work ethic is off the charts. He prepares mentally and physically and was rewarded for it."
The Red Sox, like many other clubs, warmed up to Masterson when he dominated the Cape Cod League as a closer in 2005. While his long-term destination remains a question, he handled NY-P hitters easily in a middle-relief role designed to carefully manage his workload. That he had little trouble getting outs using his 89-92 mph sinker and little else testifies to the quality of the pitch. Masterson uses his 6-foot-6 frame to throw downhill. His two-seamer has late life down in the zone, and he honed his command of the pitch as the summer wore on. "He probably will start for us (next year) to work on his secondary pitches, and how they develop will determine his role," Crabbe said. "But what I liked about him most was his demeanor. He was a pro as soon as he got here, and he really provided a lot of leadership for us. He was impressive on and off the field."