Brett Oberholtzer

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Houston Astros #20 prospect in 2013
  Acquired from the Braves in the 2011 Michael Bourn trade along with Juan Abreu, Jordan Schafer and righthander Paul Clemens, Oberholtzer gives the Astros yet another durable innings-eater. He made every start in 2012, earning a midseason promotion to Triple-A. He has little flash about him, but he's big and strong and has a 90-92 mph fastball that gets on hitters quick thanks to an easy arm action and clean delivery. His fastball has a bit of sink, as does his solid changeup, which may be his best pitch. His slider is more of a cutter, but he does spin a reliable curveball. Obertholtzer's issue is his propensity for pitching up in the strike zone. He doesn't have the velocity to get away with elevating his pitches and gave up 24 homers last season. He has control but not the command to keep the ball out of hitters' hot zones, making him more of a fourth or fifth starter down the line. Protected on the 40-man roster in November, he figures to open 2013 as part of an intriguing Oklahoma City rotation with Jarred Cosart, Jose Cisnero, Ross Seaton and Clemens.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #7 prospect in 2012
  Oberholtzer grew up in suburban Philadelphia and was a fan of Michael Bourn when Bourn was a Phillies minor leaguer. He introduced himself to Bourn when their paths crossed in spring training when the Braves and Astros played, then he was traded--along with his Double-A road roommate Paul Clemens--for Bourn last July. Oberholtzer combines a four-pitch mix with pitching savvy to try to let hitters get themselves out. He has a No. 4 starter profile with no plus pitch but a durable, innings-eating frame, and he knows his strengths and weaknesses. Oberholtzer pitches inside with his 88-92 mph fastball, and his slider can be an asset when he locates it. He can back-foot it against righthanders and it helps him neutralize lefties. His average curveball has good shape, and his average changeup features solid arm speed. Without a true out pitch, Oberholtzer needs to hone his average control and improve his command of all his pitches. He has some funkiness in his delivery that gives him some deception. He has some similarities to J.A. Happ, another Houston trade acquisition, and to avoid Happ's 2011 struggles Oberholtzer will have to locate his pitches better. He and Clemens are headed to Triple-A in 2012 and will jockey for callup when the Astros need another starter.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #9 prospect in 2011
  Part of the Braves' influx of junior college talent in the 2008 draft, Oberholtzer didn't reach full-season ball until his third pro season. He needed just four starts to earn a promotion from Rome to Myrtle Beach, where he pitched well despite battling blister problems that cost him three weeks in June. He struck out 12 in his final start of the year, then turned in a strong showing in instructional league. Oberholtzer has plus command of three pitches. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph and touches 94 with good, late tailing life. He uses his solid average changeup to his advantage by mixing it in at any time in the count. His curveball is also a fringy above-average pitch. His herky-jerky mechanics create deception, and his aggressiveness and ability to work both sides of the plate enhance his stuff. An excellent athlete, particularly for a big lefthander, Oberholtzer fields his position well. He needs to improve his ability to hold runners after giving up 18 steals in 22 attempts last year. Oberholtzer has impressed Atlanta with the progress he has made in the last two seasons. A potential third or fourth starter in the big leagues, he's slated to spend 2011 in the Mississippi rotation.
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  Ranked Atlanta Braves #13 prospect in 2010
  Oberholtzer was the first player signed from the Braves' 2008 draft class, one year after he opted to attend Seminole (Fla.) CC instead of joining the Mariners as a 47th-round pick out of a Delaware high school. After a solid if unspectacular pro debut, he ranked fifth among pitchers in short-season and Rookie-leagues with a .191 opponent average last season. Employing a herky-jerky arm action that creates deception, Oberholtzer has good tailing life to his 86-92 mph fastball. His changeup and curveball are both average pitches, and he'll throw any of his offerings at any time in the count. Aggressive and able to work both sides of the plate, Oberholtzer has excellent command. He fields his position and holds runners very well. He showed the ability to pitch under pressure when he tossed a complete-game five-hitter in the opener of the Appy League championship series. His body still has some projectability, and scouts believe he will continue to improve as he gains experience and maturity. He'll pitch in the Rome rotation in 2010.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Southern League #19 prospect in 2011
  Rising through the Braves system quickly since signing as an eighth-rounder in 2008, Oberholtzer opened the year in Double-A as a 21-year-old. He pitched well for Mississippi before going to the Astros in a four-player package for Michael Bourn in July. Oberholtzer doesn't have the upside of his former teammates Vizcaino and Delgado, but he has the average stuff and the strike-throwing ability to profile as a quality No. 4 starter. Throwing from a high three-quarters slot, he has some funkiness in his mechanics but he's athletic and repeats his delivery well, which helps him pound the strike zone with four pitches. Oberholtzer pitches at 88-92 mph and touches 94 with his fastball. His changeup is average to a tick above with good deception, and his sharp slider earns similar grades. His curveball gives him a fourth average offering at times.
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  Ranked National League #20 prospect in 2009
  An eighth-round pick in 2008, Oberholtzer saved his best Appy League start for last when he threw a complete-game five-hitter against Elizabethton in the first game of the playoff finals. He ranked fourth in the league with a 2.01 ERA, showing exquisite control by walking just six hitters and permitting only one homer in 12 starts. Still projectable at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Oberholtzer has a fastball that ranges from 86-92 mph with natural tailing life. He pitches aggressively, and his unusual, herky-jerky arm action adds deception. His curveball and changeup both rate as average, and he'll go to his secondary stuff even when behind in the count. Oberholtzer fields his position and holds runners well, and just seven baserunners attempted to steal on him in 67 innings. Though he lacks a knockout pitch, the sum of his abilities gives him a chance to pitch at the back of a big league rotation.

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Oberholtzer grew up in suburban Philadelphia and was a fan of Michael Bourn when Bourn was a Phillies minor leaguer. He introduced himself to Bourn when their paths crossed in spring training when the Braves and Astros played, then he was traded--along with his Double-A road roommate Paul Clemens--for Bourn last July. Scouting Report: Oberholtzer combines a four-pitch mix with pitching savvy to try to let hitters get themselves out. He has a No. 4 starter profile with no plus pitch but a durable, innings-eating frame, and he knows his strengths and weaknesses. Oberholtzer pitches inside with his 88-92 mph fastball, and his slider can be an asset when he locates it. He can back-foot it against righthanders and it helps him neutralize lefties. His average curveball has good shape, and his average changeup features solid arm speed. Some funk in his delivery gives him deception. Oberholtzer needs to hone his average control and improve his command of all his pitches. The Future: Oberholtzer's overall package resembles another Astros trade acquisition, J.A. Happ. He and Clemens will team again at Triple-A in 2012 and will jockey for a callup when the Astros need another starter.