Victor Black, 24, was a catcher at Amarillo through his junior year, switching to the mound his senior campaign. The position swap worked out pretty well, as he ended up drafted by the New York Mets in the 41st round of the 2006 draft after his prep career.
He opted instead to go to Dallas Baptist University. He was their ace by his junior year, going 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 88-2/3 innings. And Black didn't just work against the Patriots' Heartland Conference foes. He got the ball mid-week against Big 12 teams during the non-conference portion of DBU's schedule. Pirates scouts liked what they saw, especially his ability to miss bats.
RHP Black was selected as a supplemental pick (49th overall) following the
first round of the 2009 draft by the Bucs, using the slot they were awarded for not being able to sign Tanner Scheppers the year before. He was rated by Baseball America as the #50th prospect, so he fell right about where expected. The Texan signed for around slot money, collecting a $717,000 bonus and joining the system quickly.
The Pirates started him off at State College, limiting his workload after a full college season. Although many scouts saw his big league meal ticket as a back-end
reliever, the Bucs first worked him as a rotation guy, a position with more value. Black went 1-2/3.45 for the Spikes, working 31-1/3 IP with 33 K and 15 BB. His control, which had been a problem at DBU, and his big splits were early caution flags, but Baseball America still ranked him as the #6 prospect in the short-season NY-Penn League.
But that promising start fell apart in 2010. He started just two games for Low A West Virginia before he was shut down. Black had shoulder problems, and when he tried to work through them, he developed biceps tendonitis. Not only did he lose the season, but he went into the next year needing to get the strength back in his arm.
The Pirates moved Black to the bullpen to protect his shoulder. He still wasn't 100% at the start of the year, and the club kept him in extended spring training for a couple of months to rehab. He returned to West Virginia, and wasn't the same guy.
His velocity was erratic, as was his control - Black walked five batters per nine innings, and his strikeouts dropped to seven per game. He was given a late ticket to High A Bradenton, and he looked a bit, but not dramatically, better. His combined line for the year was 3-1-1/5.05 with 28 whiffs and 20 walks in 35-2/3 frames.
So in 2012, the Pirates had a 23 year old high draft choice entering his fourth season in the system who had worked just 71-1/3 innings, and not too successfully at that. In a swim-or-sink move, they assigned him to AA Altoona. Finally healthy, Black finally lived up to his projections.
He won the closer role, with his heater back in the mid-nineties and his slider again nasty. The Texan put up a slash of 2-3-13/1.65, with 85 K in just 60 innings. Black held opposing batters under the Mendoza line, and his splits, a problem earlier in his career, smoothed out. His control was still an issue, but he did cut down his walks to 4.4/nine innings.
He was a late addition to Eastern League All-Star team. Making up for lost innings, the Pirates sent him to the Arizona Fall League, where he's been spotty.
Black is expected to begin 2013 at Indy, and will be added to the 40-man roster soon. If he stays healthy, he stands a good shot at becoming a Pirate sometime in 2013, depending on the ultimate fates of Hanny and Jason Grilli.
The righty throws three-quarters, and at 6'4" has a good downward delivery, generally keeping the ball in the bottom half of the zone. He's only given up four homers during his minor league career. Black works off a fastball/slider combo, shows a change up, and is experimenting with a two seamer in the AFL. His big goal should be first pitch strikes to prevent guys from laying off his stuff.
With the Pirate bullpen likely to undergo some reconstruction at the back end in 2013, it wouldn't be surprising to see Black and Bryan Morris staking a claim on the late innings some time next season.
Showing posts with label victor black. Show all posts
Showing posts with label victor black. Show all posts
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Monday, November 2, 2009
Victor Black
RHP Victor Black, 21, was selected as a supplemental pick following the first round of the 2009 draft (gotten because they couldn't sign Tanner Scheppers in 2008), #49 overall. He was rated by Baseball America as the #50th prospect, so the Bucs got him right about where he was rated.
The 6-4, 210-pound Black went 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 88-2/3 innings at Dallas Baptist University. He faced better competition than just the Patriots' Heartland Conference foes, as he often pitched mid-week against Big 12 teams during the non-league portion of DBU's college schedule.
The Texan signed in late June for slot money, $717K, and the Pirates started him off at State College.
As a member of the Spikes, he posted a 1-2 record with a 3.45 ERA, including 33 strikeouts and 15 walks, no homers allowed, and a .213 opponent batting average in 31 innings of work. One red flag was his huge split. RH batters hit .159 off him while lefties hit .283. Still, Baseball America ranked him as the #6 prospect in the short-season NY-Penn League.
Black brings a fastball that sits around 92-94 MPH but can top off at 96. His out pitch is an 82-84 MPH slider with good break, and he's struggled to command his change. The rap on his resume is his control. He walked 4 batters per nine innings at State College, which is actually an improvement from his DBU days.
But it's no surprise that he's raw; he moved from catcher to pitcher in his senior year at Amarillo High School, and so is still very much a work in progress, without very many innings under his belt as a hurler. The Pirates limited his workload at State College, not wanting to burn him out.
The great debate concerning Black is his future role. Some scouts think he has the stuff to fit into the rotation, but others think that with his ability to miss a bat, lefty-righty split, and two-pitch toolkit that he's destined for the back end of the bullpen as a closer or late-inning match up guy.
So the talent evaluation people will be rating his continued improvement very closely, especially in regards to his control and developing an effective off-speed pitch, before determining his niche in the organization.
His lack of experience should land him at West Virginia at 2010, but we think that given his age, upside, and draft position, there's a better than even chance that he starts the year at Bradenton, the new high-A Pirate destination.
(Next - Shelby Ford)
The 6-4, 210-pound Black went 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA and 99 strikeouts in 88-2/3 innings at Dallas Baptist University. He faced better competition than just the Patriots' Heartland Conference foes, as he often pitched mid-week against Big 12 teams during the non-league portion of DBU's college schedule.
The Texan signed in late June for slot money, $717K, and the Pirates started him off at State College.
As a member of the Spikes, he posted a 1-2 record with a 3.45 ERA, including 33 strikeouts and 15 walks, no homers allowed, and a .213 opponent batting average in 31 innings of work. One red flag was his huge split. RH batters hit .159 off him while lefties hit .283. Still, Baseball America ranked him as the #6 prospect in the short-season NY-Penn League.
Black brings a fastball that sits around 92-94 MPH but can top off at 96. His out pitch is an 82-84 MPH slider with good break, and he's struggled to command his change. The rap on his resume is his control. He walked 4 batters per nine innings at State College, which is actually an improvement from his DBU days.
But it's no surprise that he's raw; he moved from catcher to pitcher in his senior year at Amarillo High School, and so is still very much a work in progress, without very many innings under his belt as a hurler. The Pirates limited his workload at State College, not wanting to burn him out.
The great debate concerning Black is his future role. Some scouts think he has the stuff to fit into the rotation, but others think that with his ability to miss a bat, lefty-righty split, and two-pitch toolkit that he's destined for the back end of the bullpen as a closer or late-inning match up guy.
So the talent evaluation people will be rating his continued improvement very closely, especially in regards to his control and developing an effective off-speed pitch, before determining his niche in the organization.
His lack of experience should land him at West Virginia at 2010, but we think that given his age, upside, and draft position, there's a better than even chance that he starts the year at Bradenton, the new high-A Pirate destination.
(Next - Shelby Ford)
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Black , Pounders, Chambers Join Bucs
The Bucs took Victor Black, 6-4, 205 pound junior RHP from Dallas Baptist University, in the supplemental round. He can hit 95 MPH and has a good slider, with a work-in-progress changeup. Black was 6-4 with a 4.16 ERA in 88-2/3 innings, with 99 strike-outs and 40 walks. He faced better competition than you’d think with Dallas Baptist, as he often pitched mid-week against Big 12 competition.
He's made a big jump this year; he had control issues as the first two years and is a project of sorts. Black, 21, didn't pitch until he was a high school senior, so he still has room to improve and some upside, although some think he may end up in the bullpen. He was drafted out of high school by the Mets, and was expected to go in the supplemental - second round range.
In the second round, they took 6-5, 240 pound RHP Brooks Pounders, 18, from Temecula (Cal.) Valley HS. He throws an average heater, but has command of four pitches, a rarity for a young pitcher, and good control.
Here's what MLB.com has to say about him:
He's made a big jump this year; he had control issues as the first two years and is a project of sorts. Black, 21, didn't pitch until he was a high school senior, so he still has room to improve and some upside, although some think he may end up in the bullpen. He was drafted out of high school by the Mets, and was expected to go in the supplemental - second round range.
In the second round, they took 6-5, 240 pound RHP Brooks Pounders, 18, from Temecula (Cal.) Valley HS. He throws an average heater, but has command of four pitches, a rarity for a young pitcher, and good control.
Here's what MLB.com has to say about him:
Control: Throws strikes, has above-average fastball command. Will be a plus command guy in the future.The third round pick was Hillsborough CC centerfielder Evan Chambers. He's a 5-9, 210 pounder that hit .324/11/39 in 188 at-bats. Chambers is a speed guy that stole 27 bases in 29 tries, and is a plus defender. The 19 year-old was drafted out of high school in 2007 by the Rockies in the 17th round. He looks like a serious reach, though; Baseball America had him as a 5th-6th round pick.
Poise: Good poise, works quickly, and has a no-nonsense attitude on the mound.
Physical Description: Big-body guy; doesn't look very athletic, but actually is fairly athletic when it comes to repeating his delivery. Kind of a Jonathan Broxton type.
Strengths: Four at least average pitches from a high schooler. Works fast and throws strikes, the type who can throw a two-hour game.
Weaknesses: Will have to maintain his body. To get into the upper echelon, some would like to see an increase in velocity.
Summary: Pounders might be more substance than style. He doesn't seem to have the best body in the world, but he's more athletic in his delivery than you'd think. He won't light up a radar gun -- something that might hurt his Draft status -- but he does have four pitches he can throw for strikes as a high schooler. That kind of pitchability doesn't grow on trees, especially from the prep ranks.
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