Garrett Richards
| IP | 839 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.819 |
| WHIP | 1.299 |
| BB/9 | 3.433 |
| SO/9 | 8.067 |
- Full name Garrett Thomas Richards
- Born 05/27/1988 in Riverside, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Oklahoma
- Debut 08/10/2011
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Drafted in the C-A round (42nd overall) by the Los Angeles Angels in 2009 (signed for $802,800).
View Draft Report
The state of Oklahoma is loaded with pitching prospects this year, and no one has stuff as unhittable or a performance as mystifying as Richards. He routinely sits at 93-95 mph with life on his fastball and touched 98 in a relief outing against Wichita State. He has a mid-80s slider with bite that peaked at 89 mph against the Shockers. And if that's not enough, he has a power curveball and flashes an effective changeup. He has a quick arm, a strong 6-foot-2, 217-pound build and throws on a downhill plane with little effort. Yet Richards never has posted an ERA lower than 6.00 in three college seasons, and opponents had batted .268 with 11 homers against him entering NCAA regional play. "It's unbelievable that he gets hit," one scout said. Outside of a stint in the Alaska League last summer, Richards never has harnessed his wicked stuff on anything approaching a consistent basis. He has trouble throwing strikes and flies open in his delivery, allowing hitters a good look at what's coming. He has the raw ingredients to become a frontline starter, and on the rare occasions when he has command, he looks like an easy first-round pick. He looked better than ever down the stretch and in the NCAA playoffs, fueling speculation that a team could gamble on him as high as in the first round.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Despite his impressive arsenal of pitchers, Richards lasted 42 picks in the 2009 draft because he ran up a 6.57 ERA in three years at Oklahoma. He has experienced little resistance in the minors, going 27-8, 3.14 in three seasons. He ranked second in the Texas League in wins (12) and opponent average (.233) and third in ERA (3.15) and WHIP (1.14) last year. Richards learned to sacrifice strikeouts for early-contact outs in 2011. He pitches at 94-95 mph with a sinking, tailing two-seam fastball and holds that velocity all game. His four-seam fastball tops out near 99, and he likes to elevate the pitch for swinging strikes and popups. He de-emphasized his 12-to-6 curveball last season to focus on his 84-89 mph slider, which features power tilt and plus potential. Even his sinking, low-80s changeup has its moments. Richards throws across his body to such a degree that sometimes the life on his sinker and changeup are compromised. Improved fastball command and more faith in his changeup would boost Richard's ceiling to No. 2 starter, though a No. 3 profile is the most likely outcome. He allowed runs in six of his seven big league appearances, indicating a need for minor league time, probably at Triple-A Salt Lake at the outset of 2012. -
Richards posted a 6.57 ERA in three years at Oklahoma, but his live arm and strong finish in 2009 made him the 42nd overall pick that June. He has had little trouble since signing for $802,000, succeeding in high Class A at the end of his first full season. All four of Richards' pitches have a chance to be at least average, and his plus fastball and slider are weapons. He touches 96 mph at times and sits comfortably at 92-93 with sink and occasional cutting action. His low- to mid-80s slider is his go-to secondary pitch, and he also throws a big-breaking 12-to-6 curveball. He mixes in an occasional changeup that flashes average. Richards throws so far across his body that it adds deception--but it also places extra strain on his shoulder. When he stays down and through the ball, he creates good angle to the plate from his three-quarters arm slot, but his stuff flattens out when he gets under his pitches. He'll need to improve his pitch efficiency to work later into games. The Angels moved Richards conservatively in 2010, but he's ready for Double-A. Depending on how they assess his delivery and attendant command concerns, observers peg him as everything from a mid-rotation starter to a power reliever. -
Scouts left Richards' college starts at Oklahoma shaking their heads. He ran up a 6.57 ERA in three years for the Sooners, but his electric arm and strong finish in 2009 got him drafted 42nd overall. After signing for $802,000, he threw strikes and didn't allow a homer in 35 innings at Rookie-level Orem. Minor shoulder tightness scrapped a plan to have him make a start in low Class A at the end of the year. Richards' fastball explodes out of his hand at 90-97 mph, usually sitting at 93-94 down in the zone with average life and sink. He throws an average-to-plus curveball with depth and tilt, and a solid-average slider in the mid-80s with late break. If that weren't enough, he also throws a fading, sinking changeup that's a plus pitch at times. His arm is quick and his delivery is clean. Despite his strong debut, Richards' lack of consistent amateur success can't be ignored. He had trouble throwing strikes and hitters got a good look at his pitches, though those problems weren't an issue in pro ball. Richards has the size, stuff and command to pitch at the top of a rotation. If he spends time at Cedar Rapids in 2010, it probably won't be for long. He stands a good chance of finishing the year in Double-A.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Richards took a significant leap forward this season, showing front-of-the-rotation pure stuff in the Texas League. After he got knocked around early at Arkansas, he posted a 2.40 ERA in his final 15 starts for the Travelers to earn a big league callup in August. Richards has a loose, quick arm, and scouts graded his fastball at 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale at its best. He hit 99 mph 16 times in one start, and reportedly touched 101 in the late innings against Tulsa. His heater has a heavy sink at lower velocities, though he throws across his body so much that it sometimes has more cutting action. His slider can also be a dominant pitch, though Richards loses his feel for it at times, and his changeup should be at least average. He needs to keep his secondary pitches down in the zone and sharpen his command. -
Richards' dominating results in his pro debut stood in stark contrast to his performance at Oklahoma, where he struggled to a 6.57 ERA in three years. The biggest difference was that he threw strikes, allowing his top-of-the-rotation potential to shine through. Richards' fastball ranges from 90-96 mph and sits at 93-94, and he commands it down in the zone. He has a clean delivery and his heater seems to explode out of his hand, featuring average life and sink. He didn't allow a homer in 55 innings for Orem. Richards throws an average-to-plus curveball with depth and tilt, while mixing in a solid-average, late-breaking slider that sits in the mid-80s. If that weren't enough, he also throws a fading, sinking changeup that's a plus pitch at times and helps keep lefthanders in check. If be can build on his Pioneer League performance, he'll represent incredible value as the 2009 draft's 42nd overall pick.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Fastball in the American League in 2014
- Rated Best Pitching Prospect in the Texas League in 2011
- Rated Best Breaking Pitch in the Texas League in 2011
- Rated Best Curveball in the Los Angeles Angels in 2010
- Rated Best Fastball in the Los Angeles Angels in 2010
Scouting Reports
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Background: Despite his impressive arsenal of pitches, Richards lasted 42 picks in the 2009 draft because he ran up a 6.57 ERA in three years at Oklahoma. He has experienced little resistance in the minors, going 27-8, 3.14 in three seasons. He ranked second in the Texas League in wins (12) and opponent average (.233) and third in ERA (3.15) and WHIP (1.14) last year.Scouting Report: Richards learned to sacrifice strikeouts for early-contact outs in 2011. He pitches at 94-95 mph with a sinking, tailing two-seam fastball and holds that velocity all game. His four-seam fastball tops out near 99, and he likes to elevate the pitch for swinging strikes and popups. He de-emphasized his 12-to-6 curveball last season to focus on his 84-89 mph slider, which features power tilt and plus potential. Even his sinking, low-80s changeup has its moments. Richards throws across his body to such a degree that sometimes the life on his sinker and changeup are compromised. The Future: Improved fastball command and more faith in his changeup would boost Richard's ceiling to No. 2 starter, though a No. 3 profile is the most likely outcome. He probably will head to Triple-A Salt Lake at the outset of 2012.
