Dixon Anderson - 6th round - RHP (Cal)

[Frobby]

What's the buzz here?

[Hank Scorpio]

http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/02/14/mlb-draft-notebook-excerpt-dixon-anderson/

For some reason, I have a strong intuitive feel about Dixon Anderson. To begin, Anderson has a strong, workhorse body that projects to be able to handle a pro workload at the highest levels. His arm action is fairly clean, and there aren’t any big warning signs for future breakdown. He has a plus fastball that sits in the low-90s, and he may have the best chance of any 2010 draft class players to be able to routinely sit anywhere from 92-94 as a pro. He uses both a slider and curve, and both project as average offerings. In bullpen use in the past, he dropped his curve in favor of the slider, but he has fairly good command of both pitches. His changeup is actually a splitter, and it works well. There aren’t many concerns about his splitter causing arm injuries like with Alex White last year, so he’ll probably stick with it in pro ball. As a draft-eligible sophomore, Anderson holds some bargaining power with clubs, and he might want overslot money in the third round or below. However, he has first-day talent, and I don’t see him dropping out of the third round if he’s signable.

[lovetoaster]

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=8192861&topic_id=8080130

[Frobby]

BA says: "Eligible sophomore has big league body and fastball." Ranks him 177th.

[Big Mac]

This one's a head scratcher for sure...he really hasn't had any success in two years in a relief role at Cal...

[lovetoaster]

Another possible reliever? Fine with me.

Scouting Report

Fastball: Anderson can run his fastball up to 94 mph as a starter.

Fastball movement: He has plus movement with lots of sink.

Curve: He throws a downer-type curve with occasional depth to it.

Splitter: It's a below-average offering right now.

Control: He needs to improve his command.

Poise: He has good mound presence.

Physical Description: Anderson is an athletic, long and gangly right-hander.

Medical Update: Anderson redshirted his freshman year but has been healthy since.

Strengths: Above-average with the possibility of a plus fastball in shorter stints; decent breaking ball.

Weaknesses: His secondary stuff, especially the splitter, lags behind his fastball. His command needs to improve if he wants to start.

Summary: Anderson has been used primarily as a starter this season, and, though the redshirt sophomore has shown some good things -- a 94 mph fastball and decent curve -- he might be better suited to a relief role. He's had success in shorter stints in the past, both at Cal and in summer ball, where command problems are less of an issue and his fastball tends to gain a tick or two. A team who views him in that light may take a shot, thinking he could rise rapidly as a reliever.

[paulcoates]

http://www.calbears.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/anderson_dixon00.html 6-5 right-hander who developed into a top middle reliever for the Bears...throws in the low to mid 90s with a fastball, splitter and curveball...played for the Green Bay (Wisc.) Bullfrogs this past summer and was picked the Northwoods League's second-leading pros-pect by Baseball America, finishing the summer 3-2 with a 1.61 ERA and seven saves, recording 56 strikeouts in 56.0 innings over 23 appearances (five starts)...was selected to the South All-Star Team that competed in the Northwoods All-Star Game July 21 at Port Arthur Stadium in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada...was the 2009 recipient of the George Wolfman Award as the team's Most Improved Player...redshirted during the 2008 season...

AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN (2009): Was 1-0 with a 3.98 ERA and three saves in 20 appearances (one start)...had 37 strikeouts in 43.0 innings...was the May 11 Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week with a win and two saves (8.2 innings, eight hits, one run, eight strikeouts, 1.04 ERA)...earned saves versus UC Davis May 5 and at UCLA May 8, forcing the Bruins into a game-ending double play with runners on first and third in the bottom of the ninth...won in relief May 10 at UCLA (career-high 6.2 innings, seven hits, one run, two walks, career-high seven strikeouts)...threw 5.0 innings with one hit, no runs, one walk and five strikeouts April 10 at Washington...had three strikeouts in 1.2 innings (one hit, one earned run, no walks) April 3 at Oregon State...earned first collegiate save March 23 versus Stanford (3.0 innings, no hits, no runs, no walks, two strikeouts)...threw 4.0 innings with four strikeouts March 14 versus Cal Poly (eight hits, three runs)...was first-team Pac-10 All-Academic...

HIGH SCHOOL/PERSONAL: At Piedmont High School had a 1.15 ERA as a junior and struck out 65 batters in 43.0 innings as a senior, earning all-league honors in 2006-07...helped his team to two North Coast Section Playoffs...was a four-time (2004-07) Bay Shore Athletic League Scholar-Athlete...majoring in environmental science...parents are Mark and Robin Anderson...born July 2, 1989 in Berkeley, Calif.

s.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/anderson_dixon00.html

[Lucky Jim]

What's the buzz here?

Power arm w/ heavy sink. Likely reliever with starter (remote) possibilities.

I think we see a draft for need here. We're tired of not having any Daniel Bards.

[aaron_cls]

Keith Law ranks him 74 in his top 100, but the writeup on ESPN is fairly skeptical, suggesting his future could be in the pen and noting a "bizarre" delivery (I've posted a portion of it below):

"....Anderson works at 89-93 with some sinking tail and holds his velocity. His slider will flash above-average, 79-83, sometimes flattening out, but usually down and away from right-handers. His low-80s changeup is fringy and often finishes up in the zone.

Anderson's delivery is bizarre, with a near-total pause at the top of the delivery. He plants his front foot early after a short stride and as a result, his arm is late and his front shoulder remains open longer than is ideal. It's possible that a longer stride would improve his overall timing.

His low strikeout rate this spring is a major concern, indicating that the slider isn't that far along, and that his long-term future is probably in the pen rather than in a rotation. "

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/draft/player/_/id/18950/dixon-anderson

[RVAbird]

Likely a reliever, good fastball. Tough sign, he's got some leverage. Will want over slot.

[MurphDogg]

John Manuel calls him an intriguing pick on Twitter, based more on potential than results. Personally, I like anyone with a mid 90s fastball in the sixth round.

[lovetoaster]

Law had an ESPN Insider article on Mar. 29. I am not an insider member, but here is the free blurb:

Cal right-hander Dixon Anderson established himself as a potential Day 1 draft pick last summer when he was clocked up to 96 mph in the Northwoods League (a summer wood-bat league in Minnesota and Wisconsin), and he showed low-90s stuff with better sink in fall ball workouts to further help his stock.

http://tiny.cc/gog8e

[eb45]

He's got two last names.

[Sports Guy]

Power arm w/ heavy sink. Likely reliever with starter (remote) possibilities.

I think we see a draft for need here. We're tired of not having any Daniel Bards.

Yea...I agree...Although this isn't a 100MPH thrower it seems.

However, I do like the idea of maybe building up the pen with college arms that could move quickly but with no second round pick and a lack of positional talent, is this something you should be doing early on in the draft?

[Lucky Jim]

Yea...I agree...Although this isn't a 100MPH thrower it seems.

However, I do like the idea of maybe building up the pen but with no second round pick and a lack of positional talent, is this something you should be doing early on in the draft?

I think it really depends on what they do later. If Klein and Anderson are fast movers, then we're looking at instant additions to sure/shore up a serious weakness.

I'm okay with it - only because he's got a high floor with legitimate starter upside.

And, no, he's not specifically Bard-like stuff-wise, I meant more the approach to getting fairly refined arms with plus stuff in your pen, at a young age, and for cheap.