Best HS pitching prospect EVER

[QBsILLEST1]

Who in your opinion is/was the best high school pitching prospect in your personal memory? I am just curious as to who you think was the best in your memory. I was looking into Porcello, and I know hes very good, but I dont see what makes him stand out like Kershaw and Becket and Bonderman did. But who do you choose and why?

My choice is Kershaw, mainly due to the reason that I havent been following the draft for very long, and this IMO was the best HS arm since Ive been following.

He had a plus fastball and a plus curve that now looks to be plus-plus. He has a good pitcher's body and is a lefty....

[Stotle]

Who in your opinion is/was the best high school pitching prospect in your personal memory? I am just curious as to who you think was the best in your memory. I was looking into Porcello, and I know hes very good, but I dont see what makes him stand out like Kershaw and Becket and Bonderman did. But who do you choose and why?

My choice is Kershaw, mainly due to the reason that I havent been following the draft for very long, and this IMO was the best HS arm since Ive been following.

He had a plus fastball and a plus curve that now looks to be plus-plus. He has a good pitcher's body and is a lefty....

Probably Beckett. I'd have Kersh and Porcello in the running, as well.

It was a little before my time (I was 5 when he pitched his first pro season) but Dwight Gooden probably tops a fair number of lists.

[Lucky Jim]

Probably Beckett. I'd have Kersh and Porcello in the running, as well.

It was a little before my time (I was 5 when he pitched his first pro season) but Dwight Gooden probably tops a fair number of lists.

983	LYN	Caro	18	Nym	A+	19	4	2.50	27	27	10	6	0	0	191.0	121	58	53	11	112	300	6	5.7	0.5	5.3	14.1	1.22

Gooden's 18 year old year at A+.

That's right: 191 innings, 300 Ks, 5.7 H/9. 10 CGs.

[QBsILLEST1]

Probably Beckett. I'd have Kersh and Porcello in the running, as well.

It was a little before my time (I was 5 when he pitched his first pro season) but Dwight Gooden probably tops a fair number of lists.

What made Porcello such a great prospect? I asked this in another thread, but as I read up on Porcello and look at reports on him, I see his strengths are that he has excellent command of a very good fastball that he can get into the mid 90's. He also has a good pitcher's body and keeps the ball on the ground, but how does that make him an elite HS arm? His secondaries from what I have read about them are lagging behind which youd expect from a 20 y/o, but most of the elite guys have atleast an excellent 1-2 punch of plus pitches to start with, but Porcello from what Im reading doesnt have another plus pitch.

Is this report on him Im reading wrong? Or is he that good/polished and have that great of pitchability that he is rated this highly off of thoseaspects

And the fact that he only has 1 out pitch and its his sinking fastball that makes his K rate so low.....

[Stotle]

What made Porcello such a great prospect? I asked this in another thread, but as I read up on Porcello and look at reports on him, I see his strengths are that he has excellent command of a very good fastball that he can get into the mid 90's. He also has a good pitcher's body and keeps the ball on the ground, but how does that make him an elite HS arm? His secondaries from what I have read about them are lagging behind which youd expect from a 20 y/o, but most of the elite guys have atleast an excellent 1-2 punch of plus pitches to start with, but Porcello from what Im reading doesnt have another plus pitch.

Is this report on him Im reading wrong? Or is he that good/polished and have that great of pitchability that he is rated this highly off of thoseaspects

And the fact that he only has 1 out pitch and its his sinking fastball that makes his K rate so low.....

I think you are somewhat underrating the value of having good command at such a young age. His curve was also very solid -- solid enough that DET took it away from him at HiA because they wanted him working on his change and knew hitters couldn't hang with his fb/cb.

Mid-90s with heavy boring action and good command is a rarity at the HS ranks. I think your original question was in connection with comparing him to Taillon -- and I think your description of Taillon hits a little too strongly on his strengths and doesn't mention any weaknesses. Taillon throws hard and can get it over the plate, but his command is below average. He has a slider and change, but both are below average right now. He doesn't throw that slider-esque pitch for strikes consistently, and I have yet to see him throw it for a strike at all.

So, I guess that's it. Porcello was able to pound spots within the strikezone with a fastball having plus life. His curve was solid as a HSer, and he had projection. That's what got so many people so excited about him, I think. Hope that helps clear up my take -- and of course it's just my take. Anyone else thinking differently please chime in and set me straight

[Lucky Jim]

I'll just chime in that at 19 Gooden put up this line in the Major Leagues:

1984	19	NYM	NL	17	9	.654	2.60	31	31	0	7	3	0	218.0	161	72	63	7	73	2	276	2	7	3	879	137	1.073	6.6	0.3	3.0	11.4	3.78

Really, talking about any pitcher besides Gooden (from the last 30 years or so) is pretty crazy. That's right: 218 IP, 276 Ks. and a 2.60 ERA. There was simply no one like him.

(Though obviously, Porcello and Kershaw were remarkable prospects.)

[Stotle]

I'll just chime in that at 19 Gooden put up this line in the Major Leagues:

1984	19	NYM	NL	17	9	.654	2.60	31	31	0	7	3	0	218.0	161	72	63	7	73	2	276	2	7	3	879	137	1.073	6.6	0.3	3.0	11.4	3.78

Really, talking about any pitcher besides Gooden (from the last 30 years or so) is pretty crazy. That's right: 218 IP, 276 Ks. and a 2.60 ERA. There was simply no one like him.

(Though obviously, Porcello and Kershaw were remarkable prospects.)

Right -- I mentioned guys I have seen and then that Gooden probably tops most lists. Since I didn't see him as a HSer, he wasn't really "in my personal memory."

[Lucky Jim]

Right -- I mentioned guys I have seen and then that Gooden probably tops most lists. Since I didn't see him as a HSer, he wasn't really "in my personal memory."

Hah. Sorry - I completely glided over the "personal memory" component. Probably due to the fact that he asked for the best prospect ever.

QB - please reconcile that for us, 'kay?

I remember distinctly his 19 year old year w/ the Mets. But not, of course, anything before.

[Lucky Jim]

If we are talking about prospects while they were in still in high school and without the benefit of hindsight, I would guess that Todd Van Poppel and David Clyde would have to be in the mix.

Good call(s).

Brien Taylor, too.

[Stotle]

If we are talking about prospects while they were in still in high school and without the benefit of hindsight, I would guess that Todd Van Poppel and David Clyde would have to be in the mix.

Great call! +1

[Moose Milligan]

Good call(s).

Brien Taylor, too.

Surprised that it took this long for someone to mention Brien Taylor.

[weams]

Does St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys count as a high school?

[Stotle]

Surprised that it took this long for someone to mention Brien Taylor.

I was in middle school at the time

[jamesenoch]

I heard about some high school pitcher who, as a senior, struck out 24. In another game he struck out 18, and thew a no-hitter. Unfortunately, he also walked 18. I believe his nickname was "White Lightning.":D