Trevor May

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #9 prospect in 2015
  Control issues led to May's inclusion along with Vance Worley in a December 2012 deal in which the Phillies acquired outfielder Ben Revere. May reached Triple-A Rochester in 2014, where he dominated to reach the majors in mid-August. A seven-walk big league debut in Oakland threatened to undercut his significant gains, but May stabilized well enough to finish out the year in the rotation. Armed with one of the best changeups in the system and the ability to miss bats, May has a strong frame and a physical presence on the mound. However, he still struggles at times with a loss of focus and fastball command. His 92-94 mph four-seamer has some run when he keeps it down in the zone, but location can be a problem. He has a 76-78 mph curveball that he still features on occasion, and his 82-85 mph slider could be sharper. High pitch counts are a common refrain for May, who falls out of attack mode too frequently and sometimes labors to finish batters. He did a much better job of working in to righthanders, producing more weak contact on the ground. May will head to spring training with a chance to extend his run in the Twins rotation. A potential No. 4 starter if he can improve his control, he would do well to continue his apprenticeship under fellow righthander Phil Hughes.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #8 prospect in 2014
  Signed by the Phillies for $375,000 in 2008, May rated as the top prep prospect in Washington during his draft year. Acquired from the Phillies along with Vance Worley in a December 2012 deal for outfielder Ben Revere, May has repeated his last three league stops, spending all of 2012-13 in the Double-A Eastern League and getting better in his follow-up season. Sent to the Arizona Fall League for the first time, May missed 11 days with biceps tendinitis but pitched well in relief after his return. Considered to have the best changeup in the system, May has the proven ability to miss bats (career 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings). However, he tends to lose focus and command, as shown his career walk rate of 4.6 per nine innings. He has a 92-94 mph fastball with some run when he keeps it down in the zone, and touched 95 mph out of the bullpen in the AFL. His downer curveball had been his best secondary pitch until the changeup passed it in 2013. He also throws a slider. He worked hard to improve his conditioning, but still tends to run up high pitch counts in limited work. A pronounced flyball pitcher, he has allowed 36 homers the past two seasons. May could push for a big league spot by midseason 2014, but he figures to open the year at Triple-A Rochester and projects as a No. 4 starter unless his command improves significantly.
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  Ranked Minnesota Twins #9 prospect in 2013
  May's development path has been anything but linear since he signed for $375,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2008, when he ranked as the top prep prospect in Washington. He repeated both the low Class A and high Class A levels before ranking as the Phillies' No. 1 prospect after the 2011 season, then struggled with his consistency in Double-A last year. In need of a center fielder, Philadelphia packaged him and Vance Worley to get Ben Revere from the Twins in December. May has swing-and-miss stuff but runs into trouble because he doesn't work down in the strike zone with his fastball or throw his secondary stuff for quality strikes. He works with a 90-94 mph fastball that features two-seam run at its lower velocities. His 76-78 mph downer curveball had been his best secondary pitch, but last year it blended together with his 82-85 mph slider. He also throws an 81-84 mph changeup that can become an average offering. May won't reach his upside of a No. 2 or 3 starter if he can't improve his below-average control and command. More advanced hitters won't chase his high fastballs as much as lower-level batters did. His inconsistency leads his detractors to suggest he'll be no more than a late-inning reliever. May will repeat Double-A to start 2013, with Minnesota hoping he can provide some rotation help in the near future.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #1 prospect in 2012
  The Phillies like strong-armed high school righthanders and have drafted several players from the Pacific Northwest in recent years. May fits into both demographics, and he signed for $375,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2008, when he ranked as the top prospect in Washington. Since then, May slowly has climbed through the system, moving from projectable package to Philadelphia's top prospect. After cruising through his first two pro seasons, he opened 2010 in high Class A Clearwater but struggled with his command and control. Then-farm director Chuck LaMar demoted him to low Class A Lakewood that July at the suggestion of senior advisor and former GM Pat Gillick, and May responded by carrying the BlueClaws to their second consecutive South Atlantic League title. He dominated during his return to the Florida State League in 2011, cutting his walk rate in half and leading the minors with 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His 208 whiffs topped the FSL and ranked third in the minors. The Phillies named him their minor league pitcher of the year. Scouts compare May to Chris Carpenter because of his size and swing-and-miss stuff. May's best pitch is his 90-95 mph fastball, which has heavy life and great angle, and he holds his velocity deep into games. He has worked to add a two-seamer to his arsenal, though his high three-quarters arm slot produces natural armside run. He gained consistency with his secondary offerings in 2011, particularly with his changeup. His No. 2 pitch is a 74-78 mph downer curveball, which was his best weapon in high school, but he overthrows it at times. His changeup sits at 80-82 mph and shows above-average potential with sink, though he occasionally slows down his arm speed when he throws it. Philadelphia introduced a slider to give May a fourth pitch, and he started throwing it during bullpen sessions in the second half of 2011. The progression of his command and offspeed stuff has resulted from his improved ability to repeat his delivery. The Phillies worked to simplify his motion and get his limbs going in the same direction, and now there are no concerns. May had a tendency to fall in love with strikeouts in the past, but now they're coming more as a natural result of his stuff and aptitude. He induces a lot of whiffs on high fastballs out of the zone, which will be harder to get against more advanced competition. He also works a lot of deep counts and needs to do a better job of getting ahead of hitters. He's a durable innings-eater who's still growing into his 6-foot-5 frame. Despite spending the last three seasons in A-ball, May still will be age-appropriate as a 22-year-old with Double-A Reading in 2012. If his command continues to improve, he could become a No. 2 starter, and he should be at least a solid mid-rotation workhorse. With Philadelphia's starting staff set for the immediate future, May won't have to be rushed, but he could help as early as 2013.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #5 prospect in 2011
  May rated as Washington state's top prospect in the 2008 draft before signing for $375,000 as a fourth-round pick. He has been part of Lakewood's back-to-back South Atlantic League titles, allowing just one run in four playoff starts. He wasn't supposed to be in low Class A last year, but when his mechanics and control got out of whack, May got demoted at midseason at the suggestion of senior adviser and former general manager Pat Gillick. Scouts love to project on May's sturdy 6-foot-5 frame. His best pitch is his 91-95 mph fastball, which has heavy life and great angle. His high three-quarters arm slot also produces armside run. May's 76-79 mph curveball could become a plus pitch as it gains consistency. His changeup sits at 81-84 mph and has similar promise. The Phillies have worked to simplify May's delivery, which he struggles to repeat. He often flies open with his front side and drops his elbow on offspeed pitches. He also has a tendency to fall in love with strikeouts and overthrow. May got back on track in the second half, setting the stage to take another crack at high Class A in 2011. A potential No. 2 or 3 starter, he'll pitch alongside Brody Colvin and Jarred Cosart on what should be a loaded Clearwater staff.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #5 prospect in 2010
  The Phillies have gone to the Pacific Northwest well several times in recent years, and May has outpaced such prospects as third baseman Travis Mattair and righthander Julian Sampson from that region. After starting 2009 in extended spring training, May jumped into Lakewood's rotation and stumbled at first before becoming the Blue Claws' ace. He finished the season with 24 scoreless innings, 11 coming in the playoffs as Lakewood won the South Atlantic League title. Big and strong, May has gained fastball velocity as a pro and now ranges from 88-95 mph. His heater features heavy sink at times, and he uses its armside run to pitch inside effectively. He has solid command of his upper-70s curveball, which has solid if slurvy break. His solid-average changeup features fade when thrown down in the zone. Still raw, May can lose his command suddenly. He needs work on all facets of pitching out of the stretch, as he tends to fly open with his shoulder and doesn't hold runners well. His curve remains inconsistent because he gets under it at times, and it's easier to identify out of his hand than his changeup. May has No. 3 starter potential and took a giant step with his strong finish last season. He still has a ways to go, however, and will begin 2010 in high Class A with the goal of surpassing 100 innings for the first time.
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  Ranked Philadelphia Phillies #28 prospect in 2009
  The Phillies are excited about their pitching class in the 2008 draft, both on the college and high school sides. May ranks ahead of righthander Jon Pettibone, who was taken 26 spots ahead of him, because he's a bit more physical and has a better breaking ball. May follows Julian Sampson in giving the Phillies arguably the top prep pitchers out of Washington the last two years. Other than being righthanded and from the Apple State, though, May has little in common with Sampson. He's a power pitcher with a feel for a good curveball, which plays average but should become a plus pitch as he adds power down the line. May also has shown above-average velocity at times on his fastball, flashing 92-94 mph heat at times but more regularly sitting at 87-90. His arm works well, so he should be able to consistently add velocity. His solid athleticism should allow him to clean up his high-maintenance delivery and develop average control. He will need to work on a changeup as he moves up the ladder, and he made some progress in instructional league. May has a chance to earn a spot in the Lakewood rotation in 2009. His power curve and fastball marks him as a future mid-rotation starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked International League #17 prospect in 2014
  The Twins targeted power arms when they traded away two starting outfielders after the 2012 season. They imported May from the Phillies (for Ben Revere) and Alex Meyer from the Nationals (for Denard Span), and both righthanders ranked among the brightest pitching prospects in the IL in 2014. One evaluator said May's changeup looked the best he had ever seen in person, and physical righty made distinct progress in 2014 by lowering his walk rate (to 3.6 per nine innings) and giving up just four home runs in 18 starts. A pronounced flyball pitcher, May can locate four average to solid-average pitches around the zone, though he lacks a knockout secondary pitch. He pitches in the low 90s and can touch 95 mph, and he sequences his slow curveball, tight slider and changeup to positive effect in terms of strikeouts. He has a chance to be a No. 3 or 4-type starter.
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  Ranked Florida State League #4 prospect in 2011
  After going 5-5, 5.01 and earning a midseason demotion after his mechanics got out of whack in his first taste of the FSL last year, May fared much better in 2011. Better able to repeat his delivery and pitch around the strike zone in his second tour of the league, May led the minors in strikeouts per nine innings (12.4) and the FSL with 208 whiffs. His fastball sits in the low 90s and peaks at 94 mph. He throws downhill with a strong frame, and he has some deception that helps his fastball play a little faster. He also began toying with a two-seamer late in the season in order to induce more groundouts. May has two projectable secondary pitches in his curveball and changeup. The curve is close to being a straight downer, though it also can get slurvy at times. He has a tendency to slow his arm down on his changeup, but he can locate it and it gets some sink. Though he improved his control and command, the question with May remains whether he can throw enough quality strikes and get ahead against more advanced competition. He got into too many deep counts against FSL hitters, finishing third in the league in walks.
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  Ranked Florida State League #9 prospect in 2010
  Even Nolan Ryan couldn't strike everyone out, and May learned that lesson the hard way. After limiting Dunedin to one hit while striking out 10 in his 2010 debut, he quickly fell apart because he overthrew and tried to be fine. He was demoted to low Class A in July after posting a 5.01 ERA with 61 walks in 70 innings. May has quality stuff. He has a 91-94 mph fastball with plenty of life, and he also has the ability to spin a curveball. He's nearly unhittable when he commands his fastball, and he generates excellent downhill plane and is willing to use both sides of the plate. May's changeup shows flashes of effectiveness as well. His delivery doesn't have any glaring problems, but he needs to simplify it.
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #11 prospect in 2010
  May opened the season by going 5-5, 5.01 in three months in the high Class A Florida State League. He was dominant at times but struggled to find the strike zone. With Lakewood, he was just as overpowering and did a much better job of throwing strikes. He finished strong, allowing just one run and striking out 21 over 12 innings in two playoff starts. May has plenty of sink and armside run on his 91-94 mph fastball. Both his curveball and changeup could develop into above-average offerings if they gain more consistency. He needs to remember not to overthrow and do a better job of keeping his mechanics together when he works out of the stretch. "I could see him jumping to Double-A," Parent said. "He knows what he's got to do and he's working hard to do it. He keeps getting stronger, and once he gains a consistent feel for all of his pitches, he's going to be fine."
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #19 prospect in 2009
  May didn't receive the same hype as Knapp, but the former Lakewood teammates are similar in stature and stuff. May is a big-bodied, hard-throwing righthander, and he may have a better change at remaining a starter than Knapp because he repeats his delivery and throws more strikes. He didn't allow a run in two playoff starts. May wears a size-16 shoe and may not be done growing, so he could add velocity to a 92-94 mph fastball that touches 96 with late sink. He also throws an 80-82 mph curveball with sharp break and a below-average changeup. He deals from a three-quarters arm slot and works both sides of the plate well.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #69 prospect in 2012

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The Phillies like strong-armed high school righthanders and have drafted several players from the Pacific Northwest in recent years. May fits into both demographics, and he signed for $375,000 as a fourth-round pick in 2008, when he ranked as the top draft prospect in Washington. Since then, May slowly has climbed through the system, moving from projectable package to Philadelphia's top prospect. After cruising through his first two pro seasons, he opened 2010 in high Class A Clearwater but struggled with his control as well as the humid Florida weather, which he'd never encountered. Then-farm director Chuck LaMar demoted him to low Class A Lakewood that July at the suggestion of senior adviser and former general manager Pat Gillick, and May responded by carrying the BlueClaws to their second consecutive South Atlantic League title. He dominated during his return to the Florida State League in 2011, cutting his walk rate in half and leading the minors with 12.4 strikeouts per nine innings. His 208 whiffs topped the FSL and ranked third in the minors. The Phillies named him the organization's minor league pitcher of the year. Scouting Report: Scouts compare May to Chris Carpenter because of his size and swing-and-miss stuff. May's best pitch is his 90-95 mph fastball, which has heavy life and great angle, and he holds his velocity deep into games. He has worked to add a two-seamer to his arsenal, though his high three-quarters arm slot produces natural armside run. He gained consistency with his secondary offerings in 2011, particularly with his changeup. His No. 2 pitch is a 74-78 mph downer curveball, which was his best weapon in high school, but he overthrows it at times. His changeup sits at 80-82 mph and shows above-average potential with sink, though he occasionally slows down his arm speed when he throws it. Philadelphia introduced a slider to give May a fourth pitch, and he started throwing it during bullpen sessions in the second half of 2011. The progression of his control and offspeed stuff has resulted from his improved ability to repeat his delivery. The Phillies worked to simplify his motion and get his limbs going in the same direction, and his progress has eased their concerns. He still issued nearly four walks per nine innings and may never have more than average command. May had a tendency to fall in love with strikeouts in the past, but now they're coming more as a natural result of his stuff and aptitude. He induces a lot of whiffs on high fastballs out of the zone, which will be harder to get against more advanced competition. He also works a lot of deep counts and needs to do a better job of getting ahead of hitters. He's a durable innings-eater who's still growing into his 6-foot-5 frame. The Future: Despite spending the last three seasons in A-ball, May still will be age-appropriate as a 22-year-old with Double-A Reading in 2012. If his command continues to improve, he could become a No. 2 starter, and he should be at least a solid mid-rotation workhorse. With Philadelphia's starting staff set for the immediate future, May won't have to be rushed, but he could help as early as 2013.