Dan Klein - #8 prospect

[Frobby]

Tony, didn't I see last night that you started a thread on this?

By the way, I don't seem to have access to plus content right now. The home page seems to have a write-up on Klein at no. 8, but I can't access it. Are others having this problem?

[Tony-OH]

Yeah, We're looking into that. Since we can't access it, here's the write up!

Bio: Drafted in the 3rd round in 2010 for $499,000, Klein shot up the prospect charts only to see a shoulder injury put a serious damper on his major league timeline. A closer in his junior year at UCLA after missing large chunks of time of his college career with shoulder and arm issues, Klein was only available in the 3rd round due to those injury concerns. After signing last year he allowed just a hit and walk in five games over 6.1 inning at Aberdeen. His fastball sits comfortably at 91-93 MPH and has touched 95-96 MPH on occasion. Best of all, he has plus command of the pitch despite the solid late life. His second best pitch is his plus curve, but his slider and change up are solid average pitches as well. Despite his starter's arsenal, the Orioles choose to pitch Klein in relief this year, partially due to his injury history and partially because they wanted to ease him into longer outings. Klein started off in Frederick where he dominated Carolina League batters, holding them to a .161 BAVG while striking out 21 in 15.2 IPs. At the time of his promotion to Bowie on May 1st, Klein’s .161 average against ranked fifth in the Carolina League amongst relievers and fifth in fewest base runners allowed per nine innings with a 7.47 ratio (13 baserunners in 15.2 innings). Klein’s 21 strikeouts were the most amongst relievers in the Carolina League. The dominance continued at Bowie where he allowed runs in just two of his nine appearances before getting shut down with shoulder "soreness" after his June 1st appearance. After rehab failed, Klein underwent successful surgery by Dr Yocum on August 17th to fix a SLAP tear in his labrum while also getting his capsule loosened up in order to give him more range of motion. One Orioles official said the tear was not as severe as most SLAP tears and they are hopeful he'll be back on the mound by next June. The question is whether or not Klein can rebound back to his former self. Klein was scheduled for promotion to Norfolk before coming up with the soreness so the Orioles were showing a willingness to move him quickly as a reliever. Even with a possible return by June, and even if Klein returns back to his pre-surgery stuff, his best case scenario would have available for the Orioles bullpen sometime in 2013. Klein has the stuff to be a late inning reliever, but the labrum surgery probably takes away any plans to convert him to a starter.

[Lucky Jim]

It says a lot about our system that a guy with labrum surgery sits at No. 8.

[Birds of B'more]

It says a lot about our system that a guy with labrum surgery sits at No. 8.

Yeah, that's where I left off in yesterday's thread. A reliever, no less.

[sbauer]

Plus content is now available.

[NCRaven]

It says a lot about our system that a guy with labrum surgery sits at No. 8.

If I were to base my opinion on Klein strictly on talent, he certainly deserves a spot here, or even higher. But, I can't ignore his injury history in college and now the pro's. If I'm going to base it on the "probability" of his having a high impact, I think that's certainly lower now than we might have thought on draft day. So, I wouldn't put him in my Top 10.

Tony obviously feels that his talent does overturn the concerns about injury and longevity. I really hope he's right.

[Tony-OH]

If I were to base my opinion on Klein strictly on talent, he certainly deserves a spot here, or even higher. But, I can't ignore his injury history in college and now the pro's. If I'm going to base it on the "probability" of his having a high impact, I think that's certainly lower now than we might have thought on draft day. So, I wouldn't put him in my Top 10.

Tony obviously feels that his talent does overturn the concerns about injury and longevity. I really hope he's right.

Or it could be because I'm even less thrilled at the alternatives. The fact that I was told that his labrum surgery "was the good one" and that they feel the rehab may go more quick help sway me to move him up over a few guys, but I had him originally in the 11-15 range before talking with a few guys close to the situation. I really don't disagree with you guys, but after ten, there is not a ton to get overly excited about. that doesn't mean there's not some talent, but it's not the kind that changes an organization's fortunes or they are so far away with some significant things to overcome that we just have to take a await and see approach. In a good system, even guys like Lino and Davis would be in the teens instead of top ten because they have a lot of hurdles to overcome.

[Frobby]

Klein was extremely impressive before he got hurt. I might have had him at no. 4 if he was healthy. Just where you put a guy who is hurt is always a tough question.

[NCRaven]

Klein was extremely impressive before he got hurt. I might have had him at no. 4 if he was healthy. Just where you put a guy who is hurt is always a tough question.

And, does his injury change whether he profiles as a starter or reliever in the future? That affects his value and prospect status, as well.

[RZNJ]

And, does his injury change whether he profiles as a starter or reliever in the future? That affects his value and prospect status, as well.

Klein has the stuff to be a late inning reliever, but the labrum surgery probably takes away any plans to convert him to a starter.

That's in Tony's writeup, but I guess we'll have to wait and see. Frankly, I'm expecting a healthy (?) Schrader and Bundy to be ranked higher than Klein.