Dylan Bundy

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2016
  Even after being limited to 63 innings since the start of the 2013 season, Bundy remains the Orioles' top prospect for the fifth straight year. That level of continuity evokes memories of oft-injured, 6-foot-10 lefthander Ryan Anderson, the one-time Mariners farmhand who ranked as Seattle's No. 1 prospect for five straight seasons from 1998 to 2002. Bundy was considered among the most advanced high school pitchers in years while at Owasso (Okla.) High, and he went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft. He signed a $6.23 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. Bundy breezed through the minors in 2012, going 9-3, 2.52 in 23 starts with 10.3 strikeouts and 2.4 walks per nine innings before reaching the majors as a reliever that September. His velocity was down during 2013 spring training, however, and he eventually succumbed to Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews on June 27 of that year. Just when he appeared to be past the long rehab in May 2015, he developed a rare shoulder issue that set him back again. He felt discomfort caused by calcification in the Teres minor muscle behind his right shoulder. He was finally cleared to throw in September, and by November the Orioles sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he threw just two innings before being shut down with forearm stiffness. Bundy in 2015 flashed his pre-surgery talent at times in his eight starts at Double-A Bowie, and then in an all-too-brief AFL stint. The Orioles say they saw more consistent flashes of his dominating stuff that once enabled the righthander rank among the game's elite prospects. The pre-surgery Bundy pitched in the mid-90s, sometimes touching 98 mph. He showed a plus curveball with sharp break and a changeup that made dramatic improvement throughout the 2012 season. The Orioles asked Bundy not to throw his slider/cutter at that time, so he instead focused on developing his other pitches. His slider is back now as his top secondary pitch. With command, his curve is a clear plus pitch and his changeup is solid-average. In the fall, club officials felt Bundy showed a more free-and-easy delivery with less effort. He needs to continue to build arm and shoulder strength, because his fastball that touched 96 mph at Bowie in May touched just 94 in his first AFL outing. Club officials did not consider Bundy's shoulder or forearm issues from 2015 to be serious. Because Bundy has used the maximum four minor league options years from 2012 to 2015, he cannot be sent to the minors in 2016 without first clearing waivers. (However, he could spend up to 30 days there while on rehab.) With so little work over the last three years--just 63 innings and 17 starts--Bundy will be limited to around 75 innings in 2016 even if he is fully healthy. Those innings will likely come in the big league bullpen in a multi-inning, long-relief role. Several questions still need to be answered: Can Bundy stay healthy and return to his previous top-prospect form? And can he work his way back into the rotation at some point? After the setback during the AFL, the health questions that threatened Bundy's future have resurfaced.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2015
  Considered among the most advanced high school pitchers in years, Bundy went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft and signed a $6.225 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. He had a very strong 2012 that included a sensational debut in the South Atlantic League, where over 30 dominant innings he gave up five hits while not allowing a single earned run with two walks to 40 strikeouts. Bundy went 9-3, 2.08 over three levels of the minors that year and made two September relief appearances for Baltimore, making him the fourth 19-year-old to pitch in the majors in the last decade. Bundy's velocity was down during a 2013 spring training start and he was shut down. It eventually led to ligament-reconstructive surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews on June 27. Bundy's goal was to return by that date in 2014 and he did, pitching for short-season Aberdeen on June 15 last summer. The pre-surgery Bundy pitched in the mid-90s, sometimes touching 97 and 98. He showed a plus curveball with sharp break and a changeup that made dramatic improvement through the 2012 season and was often a plus pitch by the end of the year. In 2014, Bundy pitched in extended-spring training games before moving to Aberdeen and high Class A Frederick, where he threw a total of 41 innings. He didn't pitch after Aug. 5 due to a lat strain that is now fully healed. The Orioles limited Bundy to 75-pitch outings, and he was never quite as electric as he was pre-surgery. Bundy's fastball sat mostly in the 91-94 mph range but one pitch touched 96 in his last Frederick start. He was more 90-92 mph at extended spring, but the velocity ticked up a bit deeper in the season. His secondary pitches were solid but inconsistent at times in both quality and command, understandable coming off surgery. The Orioles were pleased with his healthy arm and he didn't have a single setback. His last start was his best--he got seven of his 13 outs via strikeout and allowed no walks. He should have a normal offseason and will enter the 2015 season with a strong chance to pitch at the same high level he did in 2012. The Orioles are confident in Bundy's stuff and future at the front of their rotation. One question for next season is how many innings Bundy will be allowed to work. He'll be back in full force in 2015 if he follows the same Dave Walker-designed rehab program as lefty Tsuyoshi Wada, who had surgery while with the Orioles and tossed 180 total innings in the Cubs organization in 2014. He's expected to start the season back at Double-A Bowie.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2014
  Considered among the most advanced prep pitchers in years, Bundy went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft and signed a $6.225 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. He then lived up to that by going 9-3, 2.08 at three levels of the minors in 2012, fanning 119 batters in 104 innings and reaching Double-A Bowie. Bundy became the fourth player from his draft class to reach the big leagues, as well as the fourth 19-year-old to pitch in the majors in the last decade when he made two September relief appearances for the Orioles. He became the first Baltimore player to debut before age 20 since righthander Mike Adamson on July 1, 1967. Ticketed to begin the 2013 season at Bowie, Bundy saw his velocity dip during a spring training start, and late in March he was shut down with elbow soreness. After rest and rehab didn't alleviate the issue, Bundy had Tommy John surgery performed by Dr. James Andrews on June 27. He continued his rehab over the winter at the Orioles' spring training facilities in Sarasota, Fla. Bundy showed the expected high-end velocity throughout 2012, pitching in the mid-90s and at times touching 98 mph. The Orioles asked him to not throw his cut fastball during the minor league season to get more work on his secondary pitches, and he showed a plus curveball with sharp break and a changeup that made dramatic improvement through the season and was often a plus pitch by the end of the year. Despite his 6-foot-1 build, Bundy has tremendous strength, creates good plane on his pitches and is very athletic. What truly makes him special, with No. 1 starter potential, is the talent in combination with tremendous work ethic and makeup. Bundy was the first prep pitcher from the deep 2011 draft to reach the majors, but now he has a long way to go to match Jose Fernandez as the best high school arm from that class, and fellow Oklahoman and friend Archie Bradley of the Diamondbacks is catching up. Bundy's rehab schedule called for him to begin throwing six months after surgery, around Jan. 1. He likely won't throw off a mound until April. Bundy's strong drive and work ethic have him on schedule, if not ahead a bit, in his recovery. It may be a couple of months into the season before he is game ready, and the Orioles figure to be cautious and conservative with such a young talent. He likely will start 2014 at extended spring training and may begin pitching in games there with the hope that he could eventually settle in at Bowie to get the bulk of his innings. Can he make an impact at the big league level in 2014? That seems ambitious, yet no one will rule it out with Bundy.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2013
  Considered the most advanced prep pitcher in years, Bundy went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft and signed a $6.225 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. Even the most ambitious predraft expectations sold him short, however. He threw his first professional pitch in April and five months later became the fourth player from his draft class to reach the big leagues, as well as the fourth 19-year-old to pitch in the majors in the last decade. After opening the season with 13 consecutive no-hit innings at low Class A Delmarva, he was promoted to high Class A Frederick, where he ranked as the Carolina League's top prospect. He earned a victory in the Futures Game and then made three starts for Double-A Bowie, including the Baysox's playoff opener. The Orioles kept him on a strict pitch count throughout the season and didn't let him venture into the sixth inning until August, a plan that left him with usable innings later in the year. Bundy went to instructional league, but the Orioles called him up in mid-September when they needed bullpen reinforcements. He made two scoreless appearances and was the obvious choice as the organization's minor league pitcher of the year. Bundy offers a rare combination of polish and power at a young age, as well as four potential plus pitches, giving him true No. 1 starter upside. In shorter stints, Bundy attacks with a 95-98 mph fastball that touches triple digits, and in longer outings he settles in at 92-96 mph. Because his four-seam fastball has just average life, he added a two-seamer with more sink in the second half of the season. His best pitch as an amateur was an upper-80s cutter, but the Orioles asked him to scrap it in favor of developing his other secondary pitches. Bundy's downer curveball flashes well above-average potential, though it's inconsistent. His plus changeup has progressed more than any of his offerings since he signed. It's deceptive because of his consistent arm speed and features slight sink. Reintroducing the cutter would give him a fourth plus offering and another weapon against lefthanders. Bundy's command and consistency need to improve, though he has a tremendous feel for pitching. He's a great athlete with good body control and balance, broad shoulders and a muscular lower half. His arm action is clean and he has worked to improve the tempo in his delivery. Despite his size, Bundy creates good plane on his pitches, though he runs into trouble when he leaves the ball up in the strike zone. Bundy draws praise for his work ethic, makeup and competitiveness. Bundy already has passed his older brother Bobby, an Orioles 2008 eighth-round pick who spent time in Double-A before succumbing to an elbow injury in July. Regardless of whether Dylan gets a chance to make the big league club out of spring training, it won't be long before he's Baltimore's ace. He should be the Orioles' best homegrown pitcher since Mike Mussina.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #1 prospect in 2012
  Bundy is the brother of Bobby Bundy, a 2008 eighth-round pick of the Orioles who reached Double-A last season. Dylan started out at Sperry (Okla.) High, playing with Bobby in 2008, but he transferred from the 3-A program to one of the state's 6-A powerhouses, Owasso High, in 2010. He found the going no tougher there, winning secondteam All-America honors as a junior by going 11-1, 1.58 and hitting .442. He was Baseball America's High School Player of the Year in 2011, going 11-0, 0.20 and batting .467. In his two years at Owasso, he had 322 strikeouts in 151 innings. His only disappointment came when Owasso lost to Broken Arrow High, featuring friend and rival Archie Bradley, in the Oklahoma state championship game. Bundy, who didn't pitch in that contest after winning a quarterfinal game two days earlier, one-upped Bradley by going fourth overall in the draft to the Orioles, while Bradley went seventh to the Diamondbacks. Bundy had floated a $30 million asking price before the draft, but he gave up a Texas scholarship to sign at the Aug. 15 deadline for a $6.225 major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. It was the richest deal for a drafted player in franchise history, beating the $6 million bonus Baltimore paid Matt Wieters in 2007. Bundy made his first Orioles appearance in instructional league and won high praise both for his arm and his makeup. Tick off everything scouts want in an ace, and Bundy has it. Fastball? He pitches at 94-98 mph and touches 100 with his four-seamer, which features explosive life. He also uses a low-90s two-seamer to get groundballs and also has a cutter in the same range that essentially gives him a third plus fastball. Complementary pitches? In addition to his cutter, his upper-70s curveball already grades as a plus pitch, and he shows good feel for a solid changeup. Mechanics? Bundy is a great athlete with good body control, so his mechanics are clean and balanced and he repeats his delivery well. That should give him good command, and he also shows a great feel for his craft. About the only way he doesn't fit the ace prototype is with his listed 6-foot-1 size, but he's strong and athletic and still gets good downhill plane on his pitches. He earns high praise for his makeup, and the attribute that might set Bundy apart the most is his work ethic. His workouts are the stuff of Oklahoma legend, going beyond the basics of running, lifting weights and long-tossing to push himself to do such things as digging holes, doing lunges around the warning track and chopping down trees and carrying them around. Bundy's humble goal when he started high school was to throw harder than Bobby, who has touched 97 mph. He accomplished that in short order and was elated to join his brother in the Orioles organization. He figures to begin his pro career at low Class A Delmarva in 2012, and he could quickly pass Bobby on his way to the big leagues. Bundy is so advanced that some scouts considered him the equal of the three college pitchers (Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen, Trevor Bauer) who went ahead of him in the draft, and he might not need more than two years in the minors.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #1 prospect in 2012
  Bundy spent two months in Frederick and averaged 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings before moving up to Double-A and ultimately Baltimore. He joined Edwin Jackson, Felix Hernandez and Madison Bumgarner as the only 19-year-olds to pitch in the majors in the last decade. Bundy overwhelms hitters with a 95-98 mph that jumps on hitters, a knee-buckling curveball that he located with better consistency as the season wore on, and a sinking changeup that at times is his second-best offering. The Orioles had him shelve his two-seam fastball and his cutter so he could focus on commanding his fastball down in the strike zone. Like most young pitchers, he's still mastering consistent command of his pitches. His work ethic is as impressive as his repertoire. Bundy warms up before starts with a detailed long-tossing regimen and arrives to the ballpark early the following day to run stairs and work out with a conditioning coach.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #48 prospect in 2015
• Ranked Baseball America's #15 prospect in 2014
• Ranked Baseball America's #2 prospect in 2013
• Ranked Baseball America's #10 prospect in 2012

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Considered the most advanced prep pitcher in years, Bundy went fourth overall in a deep 2011 draft and signed a $6.225 million major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. Even the most ambitious predraft expectations sold him short, however. He threw his first professional pitch in April and five months later became the fourth player from his draft class to reach the big leagues, as well as the fourth 19-year-old to pitch in the majors in the last decade. After opening the season with 13 consecutive no-hit innings at low Class A Delmarva, he was promoted to high Class A Frederick, where he ranked as the Carolina League's top prospect. He earned a victory in the Futures Game and then made three starts for Double-A Bowie, including the Baysox' playoff opener. The Orioles kept him on a strict pitch count throughout the season and didn't let him venture into the sixth inning until August, a plan that left him with usable innings later in the year. Bundy went to instructional league, but the Orioles called him up in mid-September when they needed bullpen reinforcements. He made two scoreless appearances and was the obvious choice as the organization's minor league pitcher of the year. Scouting Report: Bundy offers a rare combination of polish and power at a young age, as well as four potential plus pitches, giving him true No. 1 starter upside. In shorter stints, Bundy attacks with a 95-98 mph fastball that touches triple digits, and in longer outings he settles in at 92-96 mph. Because his four-seam fastball has just average life, he added a two-seamer with more sink in the second half of the season. His best pitch as an amateur was an upper-80s cutter, but the Orioles asked him to scrap it in favor of developing his other secondary pitches. Bundy's downer curveball flashes well above-average potential, though it's inconsistent. His plus changeup has progressed more than any of his offerings since he signed. It's deceptive because of his consistent arm speed and features slight sink. Reintroducing the cutter would give him a fourth plus offering and another weapon against lefthanders. Bundy's command and consistency need to improve, though he has a tremendous feel for pitching. He's a great athlete with good body control and balance, broad shoulders and a muscular lower half. His arm action is clean and he has worked to improve the tempo in his delivery. Despite his size, Bundy creates good plane on his pitches, though he runs into trouble when he leaves the ball up. Bundy draws praise for his work ethic, makeup and competitiveness. The Future: Bundy already has passed his older brother Bobby, an Orioles 2008 eighth-round pick who spent time in Double-A before succumbing to an elbow injury in July. Regardless of whether Dylan gets a chance to make the big league club out of spring training, it won't be long before he's Baltimore's ace. He should be the Orioles' best homegrown pitcher since Mike Mussina.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Bundy is the brother of Bobby Bundy, a 2008 eighth-round pick of the Orioles who reached Double-A last season. Dylan started out at Sperry (Okla.) High, playing with Bobby in 2008, but he transferred from the 3-A program to one of the state's 6-A powerhouses, Owasso High, in 2010. He found the going no tougher there, winning secondteam All-America honors as a junior by going 11-1, 1.58 and hitting .442. He was Baseball America's High School Player of the Year in 2011, going 11-0, 0.20 and batting .467. In his two years at Owasso, he had 322 strikeouts in 151 innings. His only disappointment came when Owasso lost to Broken Arrow High, featuring friend and rival Archie Bradley, in the Oklahoma state championship game. Bundy, who didn't pitch in that contest after winning a quarterfinal game two days earlier, one-upped Bradley by going fourth overall in the draft to the Orioles, while Bradley went seventh to the Diamondbacks. Bundy had floated a $30 million asking price before the draft, but he gave up a Texas scholarship to sign at the Aug. 15 deadline for a $6.225 major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. It was the richest deal for a drafted player in franchise history, beating the $6 million bonus Baltimore paid Matt Wieters in 2007. Bundy made his first Orioles appearance in instructional league and won high praise both for his arm and his makeup. Tick off everything scouts want in an ace, and Bundy has it. Fastball? He pitches at 94-98 mph and touches 100 with his four-seamer, which features explosive life. He also uses a low-90s two-seamer to get groundballs and also has a cutter in the same range that essentially gives him a third plus fastball. Complementary pitches? In addition to his cutter, his upper-70s curveball already grades as a plus pitch, and he shows good feel for a solid changeup. Mechanics? Bundy is a great athlete with good body control, so his mechanics are clean and balanced and he repeats his delivery well. That should give him good command, and he also shows a great feel for his craft. About the only way he doesn't fit the ace prototype is with his listed 6-foot-1 size, but he's strong and athletic and still gets good downhill plane on his pitches. He earns high praise for his makeup, and the attribute that might set Bundy apart the most is his work ethic. His workouts are the stuff of Oklahoma legend, going beyond the basics of running, lifting weights and long-tossing to push himself to do such things as digging holes, doing lunges around the warning track and chopping down trees and carrying them around. Bundy's humble goal when he started high school was to throw harder than Bobby, who has touched 97 mph. He accomplished that in short order and was elated to join his brother in the Orioles organization. He figures to begin his pro career at low Class A Delmarva in 2012, and he could quickly pass Bobby on his way to the big leagues. Bundy is so advanced that some scouts considered him the equal of the three college pitchers (Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen, Trevor Bauer) who went ahead of him in the draft, and he might not need more than two years in the minors.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: Bundy is the brother of Bobby Bundy, a 2008 eighth-round pick of the Orioles who reached Double-A last season. Dylan started out at Sperry (Okla.) High, playing with Bobby in 2008, but he transferred from the 3-A program to one of the state's 6-A powerhouses, Owasso High, in 2010. He found the going no tougher there, winning second-team All-America honors as a junior by going 11-1, 1.58 and hitting .442. He was Baseball America's High School Player of the Year in 2011, going 11-0, 0.20 and batting .467. In his two years at Owasso, he had 322 strikeouts in 151 innings. His only disappointment came when Owasso lost to Broken Arrow High, featuring friend and rival Archie Bradley, in the Oklahoma state championship game. Bundy, who didn't pitch in that contest after winning a quarterfinal game two days earlier, one-upped Bradley by going fourth overall in the draft to the Orioles, while Bradley went seventh to the Diamondbacks. Bundy had floated a $30 million asking price before the draft, but he gave up a Texas scholarship to sign at the Aug. 15 deadline for a $6.225 major league contract that included a $4 million bonus. It was the richest deal for a drafted player in franchise history, beating the $6 million bonus Baltimore paid Matt Wieters in 2007. Bundy made his first Orioles appearance in instructional league and won high praise both for his arm and his makeup. Scouting Report: Tick off everything scouts want in an ace, and Bundy has it. Fastball? He pitches at 94-98 mph and touches 100 with his four-seamer, which features explosive life. He also uses a low-90s two-seamer to get groundballs and also has a cutter in the same range that essentially gives him a third plus fastball. Complementary pitches? In addition to his cutter, his upper-70s curveball already grades as a plus pitch, and he shows good feel for a solid changeup. Mechanics? Bundy is a great athlete with good body control, so his mechanics are clean and balanced and he repeats his delivery well. That should give him good command, and he also shows a great feel for his craft. About the only way he doesn't fit the ace prototype is with his listed 6-foot-1 size, but he's strong and athletic and still gets good downhill plane on his pitches. He earns high praise for his makeup, and the attribute that might set Bundy apart the most is his work ethic. His workouts are the stuff of Oklahoma legend, going beyond the basics of running, lifting weights and long-tossing to push himself to do such things as digging holes, doing lunges around the warning track and chopping down trees and carrying them around. The Future: Bundy's humble goal when he started high school was to throw harder than Bobby, who has touched 97 mph. He accomplished that in short order and was elated to join his brother in the Orioles organization. He figures to begin his pro career at low Class A Delmarva in 2012, and he could quickly pass Bobby on his way to the big leagues. Bundy is so advanced that some scouts considered him the equal of the three college pitchers (Gerrit Cole, Danny Hultzen, Trevor Bauer) who went ahead of him in the draft, and he might not need more than two years in the minors.