Loek Van Mil
| IP | 437 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.357 |
| WHIP | 1.412 |
| BB/9 | 3.975 |
| SO/9 | 6.982 |
- Full name Ludovicus Jacobus Maria Van Mil
- Born 09/15/1984 in Oss, Netherlands
- Died 07/28/2019 in
- Profile Ht.: 7'1" / Wt.: 260 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Erasmus College
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Van Mil pitched a career-high 66 innings in 2011 and turned in his best performance at the Double-A level, but that wasn't enough for him to preserve his spot on the 40-man roster. The Angels outrighted him to the minors in November, and he went unselected in the Rule 5 draft. Los Angeles acquired Van Mil from the Twins in September 2010 for Brian Fuentes. Staying healthy has been a significant obstacle for Van Mil, who at 7-foot-1 is the tallest player in the pro ranks and would surpass the 6-foot-11 Jon Rauch as the tallest in major league history if he makes that jump. Van Mil's stratospheric release point affords him steep plane on his pitches, but his long levers also create problems repeating his delivery. He began to find the strike zone more consistently last year. Van Mil's fastball sinks and tails at 91-93 mph, and batters struggle to square the pitch up. His slurvy slider and sinking changeup both range from 80-84 mph and grade as average when his delivery is in sync. Van Mil has a lot to prove in Triple-A this year. -
If the 7-foot-1 Van Mil makes it to Anaheim, he'll expunge the 6-foot-11 Jon Rauch from the record books as tallest big leaguer ever. He missed the last six weeks of the 2008 season with an elbow injury and consequently passed through that winter's Rule 5 draft. The Twins added the hard-throwing Dutchman to their 40-man roster following the 2009 season, but he pitched so poorly in Double-A last season that they designated him for assignment in late August. Again, 29 other teams passed on Van Mil and he cleared waivers before the Angels selected him as the player to be named in the Brian Fuentes trade. Scouts long have admired Van Mil's stuff, but given his spotty performance record at Double-A, he often seems more novelty than prospect. In 32 appearances at that level, he has a 5.45 ERA, a 2.00 WHIP and more walks (29) than strikeouts (26). Van Mil couples 93-96 mph velocity with impressive angle to the plate to give him a fastball that's a plus-plus pitch at his best. His best high-80s sliders register as plus offerings. Even his changeup has average potential. Van Mil has very good body control for a pitcher of his size, but he remains too wild--in and out of the strike zone. He never has exceeded 45 innings in a season, so staying free from nagging injuries will be a top priority for Van Mil as he gives Double-A another go. -
Every bit of 7-foot-1, Van Mil remains both a curiosity and a potential impact reliever. The Twins have invested a lot of time in him, working with before he signed at age 20, and added him to the 40-man roster for the first time after the 2009 season. Van Mil passed through the Rule 5 draft unprotected in 2008, thanks in part to an elbow injury. He heard a pop in his elbow while warming up to pitch for the Netherlands in the Beijing Olympics. He wound up passing on surgery and rehabbed the ligament strain, sat out the World Baseball Classic in the spring and got back into game action by the end of May. Van Mil remains inconsistent with his stuff and delivery, as might be expected with his size. While he's coordinated and has a sound delivery, it's still hard to repeat. At his best, Van Mil sits in the mid-90s and touches 97 mph with his fastball. At times his slider is the best in the system (before Kyle Gibson's arrival), reaching as high as 88 mph. He doesn't command either pitch but really doesn't need pinpoint accuracy. He does need to throw more strikes to reach the big leagues, though. In a sign of his dedication, Van Mil skipped the World Cup at the end of last summer even though it was an opportunity to play in his homeland and more than 20 current and former Twins were involved. He finished up the season Double-A and figures to return there for 2010, though he could start in the warmer weather of Fort Myers if his elbow gives him any trouble. -
Scouts remain intrigued by Van Mil, who's atypical in just about every way. He signed when he was 20 years old after Twins scouts worked with him while he was a teen, trying to get a 7-footer to pitch like one. Van Mil threw almost sidearm as an amateur, and he has evolved into a overhand power pitcher with a chance to be a legitimate factor in a big league bullpen. Van Mil has shown a mid-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider, and both are plus pitches at times. He's coordinated and has a sound delivery with a clean arm action when all the parts work together. That's harder to do at his size, leading to periodic bouts of wildness. Van Mil left Beloit in July to pitch for the Dutch Olympic team, and when he arrived in Beijing he quickly emerged as a team leader. However, in a side session prior to the tournament, he overthrew and felt a pop in his elbow. Though he has a partial ligament tear, Minnesota opted against immediate Tommy John surgery in hopes rehabilitation would return him to full health. He appeared headed for surgery in December, though. Van Mil passed through the Rule 5 draft and may miss the entire 2009 season if he has surgery, further delaying his progress. -
The Twins have been trying to mine Europe for talent for years, and with enigmatic lefty Alexander Smit lost on a waiver claim to the Reds, the 7-foot-1 Van Mil has succeeded him as the organization's top Euro prospect. He might have surpassed Smit anyway because he has one of the Twins' biggest fastballs, which was on display for the Netherlands in the World Cup in November. Van Mil closed for the Dutch and dominated with a 0.71 ERA in 13 innings, topping out at 97 mph and sitting at 94. As a teen, Van Mil had a clean arm action but an awkward delivery, and Minnesota worked with him before signing him. Former special assistant Larry Corrigan (now with the Pirates) was instrumental in getting the fairly athletic and coordinated Van Mil to stay tall in his delivery and use a higher arm slot. His slider touches 88 mph at times, and with his arm action, it's not unthinkable that he could reach 100 with his fastball and 90 with his slider down the line. He's not just a relief prospect either. He has flashed a changeup and curveball with potential, though all his offerings need to find the strike zone more often. Holding runners and fielding are weaknesses for Van Mil, who hadn't pitched until age 17 while growing up about 60 miles south of Amsterdam. Attempting to become the tallest big leaguer ever, he appears to be putting it all together. He'll start the year in low Class A--a long reach, even for him, from the majors.
Minor League Top Prospects
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If Van Mil makes it all the way up, he'll be the tallest pitcher in major league history at 7-foot-1. By the time he follows through, he's practically standing on home plate. His velocity is closer to Chris Young's than Randy Johnson's, however. Van Mil's fastball settles in around 91 mph and tops out at 95. His height gives him a downward plane that's tough on hitters. He's athletic and agile for his size. A product of the Netherlands, Van Mil lacks pitching instincts and profiles more as a reliever than as a starter. He's working on a slider that has some tilt, but he sometimes slows down his arm when he throws it. He also lacks control.Van Mil came down with elbow soreness, which sidelined him for three weeks in August.
