Ian Krol Stats & Scouting Report

IP	17
ERA	2.12
WHIP	1.41
BB/9	3.71
SO/9	9.53

Full name Ian A. Krol
Born 05/09/1991 in Hinsdale, IL
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Neuqua Valley
Debut 06/05/2013
Drafted in the 7th round (213th overall) by the Oakland Athletics in 2009 (signed for $925,000).

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Krol entered the year as the top-rated prospect in Illinois but never threw a pitch for Neuqua Valley High. He was suspended for the entire season in March after his second violation of the school's athletic code of conduct. He was found in the presence of alcohol when police pulled over the driver of a car Krol was riding in for suspicion of driving under the influence. After performing well on the showcase circuit last summer, he has spent this spring pitching in a scout league in Wisconsin on the weekends. Scouts who like him project him as a lefty who'll have command of three average pitches, while others hold his size, velocity and makeup concerns against him. Krol's out pitch is his hard, two-plane curveball, and some scouts grade his changeup as his second-best offering. He sat at 88-90 mph on the showcase circuit last summer but has pitched more at 86-88 mph this spring. At 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds, he doesn't project to add much more velocity, though he get s good sink on his fastball from a low-three-quarters angle. Krol has committed to Arizona, which will honor his scholarship despite his suspension. He projected as a possible third-rounder at the start of the season but now figures to go closer to the sixth round.

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Krol has a checkered history off the field. He was suspended from his high school team as a senior for being at a gathering in the presence of alcohol, his second violation of the school's athletic code of conduct, though he still got a $925,000 bonus as the Athletics' seventh-round pick in 2009 after they were able to watch him in a scout league in Wisconsin. He got in trouble again 2011, when the A's suspended him for making derogatory comments on Twitter while rehabbing a sore elbow. Returning to the mound last year, Krol went 1-7, 5.62 as a starter for high Class A Stockton before moving to the bullpen to limit his innings. He promptly reeled off four straight scoreless appearances and was bumped to Double-A, and he may have found his niche. Krol's fastball reached 93-94 mph as a reliever and sat 91-92, and he has a sharp curveball to back it up. He has a third pitch in his changeup, but he showed promise as a two-pitch reliever. His aggressive style fits well in the bullpen also. He struggles to repeat his delivery and command the ball. He stays too upright in his finish, leading his pitches to flatten out. He needs to get down through the ball better to be able to pitch in the bottom of the zone. The A's would still like to give Krol a shot at starting, but his command issues point to a future in the bullpen, where he has a clearer path to the majors as well. He'll go back to Midland to open 2013, with his role to be determined.
Signed for $925,000 as a seventh-round pick in 2009, Krol led the Midwest League in ERA (2.65) in his first full pro season. Injuries and off-field problems prevented him from building on that in 2011. Elbow soreness kept him on the shelf until midseason, when he began rehabbing in the Arizona League. His comeback was short-lived, however, as the A's was suspended Krol for making derogatory comments on Twitter, including a homophobic slur. It wasn't the first time he has had issues. He was suspended from his high school team his senior year for being found in the presence of alcohol. When he gets back on the mound in 2012, the A's expect Krol to be the same pitcher he was in 2010. He doesn't have an overpowering fastball, but his curveball and changeup can both be plus pitches. His heater works at 88-89 mph and peaks at 91, playing up because it has good life and he commands it to both sides of the plate. He can get swings and misses with his 11-to-5 curveball, and his changeup features sinking and tailing movement. Krol has quality mound presence, though his lack of projection leads scouts to believe his best-case scenario is as a mid-rotation starter.
Krol slipped to the seventh round in 2009 after being suspended from his high school team for being found in the presence of alcohol, violating the school's athletic code of conduct for the second time. The A's signed him for $925,000 and he excelled in a return to his home turf in 2010. While at Kane County, he lived at his home 30 minutes away and led the Midwest League in ERA (2.65) and baserunners per nine innings (9.4). Krol's fastball sits at 88-89 mph and tops out at 91, but he locates it well and complements it with two potential plus pitches. He spins a quality 11-to-5 curveball that's a swing-andmiss pitch when it's on. He has learned to trust his changeup, which he didn't need much in high school. He throws it with good arm speed and it comes in at 78-81 mph with some sinking and tailing action. Krol repeats his delivery well and has an advanced feel for pitching, helping his stuff play up. Despite his big 2010, Krol's ceiling doesn't look any higher than that of a No. 3 or 4 starter as he lacks projection in his frame. He could move quickly through the minors for a high school pick, however, and will return to high Class A after finishing last season there at age 19.
Krol was the first high school pitcher to sign with Oakland since 2006, though his journey to the A's system wasn't without tumult. He was suspended from his high school team for the entire season last spring after being found in the presence of alcohol, his second violation of the school's athletic code of conduct. Krol pitched in a scout league in Wisconsin on the weekends, and the A's saw enough to nab him in the seventh round and sign him for $925,000. Krol shows command of three average pitches. His fastball dipped to 86-88 mph last spring, but he previously pitched at 89-92 mph and still features good sink. He doesn't project to add much more velocity, but if he can regain what he had, he'll be in good shape because his secondary pitches already grade as average and have a chance to become plus His curveball has good spin and two-plane break, and his changeup is effective. Krol is a feisty competitor and has an advanced feel for pitching for his age. He has a chance to be a solid big league starter, though he'll have to prove his off-the-field issues are a thing of the past. He could spend his first full pro season at Kane County, about 15 minutes from his hometown of Naperville, Ill.