Michael Fulmer

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #1 prospect in 2016
  Going back to his amateur days, Fulmer always has been a talented arm overshadowed by others. As a high school senior in 2011 in Oklahoma, when he was teammates with current Marlins farmhand Brian Anderson, Fulmer drew the attention of scouts for his big fastball, but he was considered to be in the second tier of the state's high school class behind Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley. He signed with the Mets that year for $937,500 as the No. 44 overall pick and made slow, steady progress through the system, though again he got upstaged in a system replete with talented power arms like Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom. Limited to nine starts in 2013 after having surgery in spring training to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, Fulmer put together a solid season in 2014 and finally reached Double-A at the end of the year for one start before he had surgery at the end to clean out a bone spur and bone chips from his elbow. While the promise and potential was always evident, the results never quite matched the pure stuff until 2015, when Fulmer led the Eastern League in ERA (2.12) and strikeouts per nine innings (8.9) and was named the EL pitcher of the year. He changed teams but stayed in the league when he was the primary trade chip (along with righthander Luis Cessa) in the July 31 deal that sent Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers to the Mets. It was a no-brainer for the Tigers to place Fulmer on the 40-man roster in November, thus shielding him from the Rule 5 draft. Ranked No. 13 in the Mets' farm system a year ago, Fulmer was one of the most improved pitching prospects in baseball in 2015. He has a big, physical frame and has two plus pitches, starting with a fastball that parks at 91-94 mph and can reach 97. It's a lively fastball with heavy sink that helps him generate an abundance of weak contact, with his groundball rate jumping to a career high level in 2015. Fulmer can generate weak contact early in the count with his heavy fastball or he can put hitters away when he gets to two strikes by using his power slider, a plus pitch with sharp two-plane break and good depth. Fulmer mostly relies on those two pitches, but he mixes in an occasional curveball along with a fringe-average changeup. Throwing slightly across his body, Fulmer has always been a solid strike-thrower, but he tightened up his control and his command in 2015 as he became more consistent with his ability to repeat his mechanics and his release point. Durability still remains a question for Fulmer. He logged a career-high 125 innings in 2015 and already has had one elbow operation. Fulmer has the stuff to be a No. 3 starter if he proves he can handle the increased workload. If not, he has the stuff to dominate in the back of the bullpen. As badly as the Tigers' bullpen has struggled, he brings more value to them if he can start, so the organization's plan is to keep him in the rotation. Fulmer probably will begin 2016 at Triple-A Toledo, but he could be pitching in the big league rotation by the all-star break.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #13 prospect in 2015
  Selected 44th overall in the 2011 draft, Fulmer spent the better part of 2013 and 2014 at high Class A St. Lucie, but few Mets pitching prospects have a superior two-pitch mix than the 6-foot-3 righthander. He threw the ball better than ever during 2014 spring training, but Fulmer's results never seemed to match his raw stuff once he took the mound in the Florida State League. He missed bats and limited walks, and the Mets indicate that many of the excess hits he allowed on balls in play resulted from a poor St. Lucie team defense that ranked last in the FSL in fielding percentage (.969). Fulmer pitches with a plus 92-94 mph fastball with good life that he locates down in the zone, backing that up with a mid-80s, power slider that consistently grades as plus. He continues to make strides with his fringe-average changeup, but it's a distinct third pitch. The organization expects that Fulmer will make rapid progress in 2015 now that he has a healthy season under his belt--knee trouble limited him to nine starts in 2013--and now that he'll have the benefit of more consistent umpires and more cohesive team defense at Double-A Binghamton.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #14 prospect in 2014
  Many pitchers endure a lost year on their climb up the minor league ladder, and Fulmer got his out of the way in 2013. He had surgery on his right knee during spring training to repair a torn meniscus, and the procedure sidelined him for the first three months of the season. After a pair of rehab outings, Fulmer debuted with high Class A St. Lucie on July 7, but he didn't have his legs under him initially, showing reduced velocity. He recovered his stuff in August, topping out near 95 mph with running action and sinking the ball at 92-93 low in the zone. He reinjured his knee after just seven starts, however, and didn't return to the mound. A mid-80s slider with reliable two-plane tilt is Fulmer's preferred secondary weapon, and when it's on, righties can't touch it. Scouts see enough promise with his changeup to project it to future average, though they don't universally like his direction to the plate or soft-bodied physique. For that reason, many see him as a future reliever, but potentially an effective one. With good health, he'll reach Double-A Binghamton by the end of the 2014 season.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #7 prospect in 2013
  Fulmer pitched just five innings in the Gulf Coast League after signing for $937,500 in the 2011 draft, but he had no trouble adjusting to a pro routine in 2012. He spent all season in the low Class A Savannah rotation, notching a 2.20 ERA with 57 strikeouts in 57 innings during the second half. Fulmer's power approach plays exceptionally well when he keeps the ball down in the strike zone. His 92-93 mph fastball features heavy life and tailing action, and his slider could be a plus pitch based on its tight rotation and depth. He is learning to trust his changeup, which is too firm in the mid-80s. Though Fulmer tops out near 95 mph and holds his velocity, he gets in trouble when he leaves the ball out over the plate. Scouts are mixed as to whether he'll refine his delivery enough to develop more than fringy command. He presently throws slightly across his body and off a stiff front side. Concerns about Fulmer's direction to the plate and his soft-bodied physique lead some evaluators to project him as a reliever. The Mets are committed to developing him as a starter and will send him to high Class A St. Lucie.
• 
  Ranked New York Mets #8 prospect in 2012
  The state of Oklahoma boasted its best-ever crop of high school pitching talent in 2011, so Fulmer took a back seat to Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley, the fourth and seventh overall picks in the draft. Fulmer went 44th overall and signed for an above-slot $937,500 in late July before logging four appearances in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. People who have watched Fulmer pitch often use the word "aggressive" to describe him. He attacks the opposition with 92-97 mph heat that explodes through the zone. He imparts natural tailing action on his fastball, making him difficult to square up. He added about 5 mph to his fastball as a senior, and his slider followed suit, jumping to 83-85 mph. It's a swing-and-miss pitch to lefties and righties alike because of its depth and power. Fulmer dominated with just a fastball and breaking ball in high school and has no usable changeup at this stage. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he has little physical projection remaining and could benefit from tightening his physique. Fulmer will work to enhance his changeup and feel for pitching in 2012, perhaps at short-season Brooklyn following extended spring training. He has the upside of a No. 2 starter but will require time and patience to get there.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #7 prospect in 2015
  The Mets wanted to add a bat for their first pennant chase since 2008, and they paid a heavy price to do so. To acquire Yoenis Cespedes from the Tigers, New York shipped Fulmer to Detroit, where he continued to draw raves as one of the best arms in the EL. The EL pitcher of the year, he led the circuit in ERA (2.14) and strikeout rate (8.9 per nine inning) while ranking fourth in WHIP (1.10). A big, physical righthander, Fulmer starts his arsenal with hard, heavy fastball that can sit in the low to mid-90s and top as high as 97 mph. He then adds a plus slider and has feel for a changeup as a third pitch. One manager noted that his team also saw Fulmer unleash a cut fastball after he'd moved from Binghamton to Erie, and the pitch should help him get more grounders as he moves up the ladder. Fulmer combines his power repertoire with command and control that helped him put together a strikeout-to-walk ratio of nearly 4-to-1 in the EL.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #13 prospect in 2012
  Overshadowed by Bundy and Archie Bradley in an outstanding 2011 Oklahoma high school class, Fulmer went 44th overall in that draft and showed why this year. He exceeded expectations by pitching his way onto the Savannah roster during spring training, then got better as the season went on, posting a 1.95 ERA in his final 11 starts. "He improved in every phase of the game this year," Savannah manager Luis Rojas said. "His command got better, his secondary pitches got better and his sequences got better. He's a smart kid with tools." Fulmer's fastball sits in the mid-90s, reaches 97 mph and has nice tailing action through the strike zone. His hard slider gives him a second potential plus pitch and he's working on a changeup after not needing one in high school. He does a good job of throwing strikes and keeping the ball down in the zone.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #47 prospect in 2016

• December, 2012 Scouting Report
  Background: Fulmer pitched just five innings in the Gulf Coast League after signing for $937,500 in the 2011 draft, but he had no trouble adjusting to a pro routine in 2012. He made the low Class A Savannah rotation out of spring training and held his spot all season, notching a 2.20 ERA with with 57 strikeouts in 57 innings during the second half. Scouting Report: Fulmer's power approach plays exceptionally well when he keeps the ball down in the strike zone. His 92-93 mph fastball features heavy life and tailing action, and his mid-80s slider could be a plus pitch based on the tight rotation and depth he frequently imparts on the ball. He still is learning to trust his changeup, which is too firm in the mid-80s. Though Fulmer tops out near 95 mph and holds his velocity, he gets in trouble when he leaves the ball out over the plate. He allowed five of six home runs on the road away from forgiving Grayson Stadium. Scouts are mixed as to whether he'll refine his delivery enough to develop more than fringy command. He presently throws slightly across his body and off a stiff front side. The Future: Concerns about Fulmer's direction to the plate and his soft-bodied physique lead some to evaluators to project him as a late-inning reliever. The Mets are committed to developing him as a starter and will send him to high Class A St. Lucie.
• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The state of Oklahoma boasted its best-ever crop of high school pitching talent in 2011, so Fulmer took a back seat to Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley, the fourth and seventh overall picks in the draft. Fulmer went 44th overall and signed for an above-slot $937,500 in late July before logging four appearances in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Scouting Report: People who have watched Fulmer pitch often use the word "aggressive" to describe him. He attacks the opposition with 92-97 mph heat that explodes through the zone. He imparts natural tailing action on his fastball, making him difficult to square up. He added about 5 mph to his fastball as a senior, and his slider followed suit, jumping to 83-85 mph. It's a swing-and-miss pitch to lefties and righties alike because of its depth and power. Fulmer dominated with just a fastball and breaking ball in high school and has no usable changeup at this stage. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he has little physical projection remaining and could benefit from tightening his physique. The Future: Fulmer will work to enhance his changeup and feel for pitching in 2012, perhaps at short-season Brooklyn following extended spring training. He has the upside of a No. 2 starter but will need time and patience to get there.