College/Draft Profile #6

by Russ Oates on Jan 6, 2007 6:37 PM MST in Rockies Draft

Nick Schmidt

Schmidt stares the hitter down before delivering a pitch. UA Photo found at secsports.com.

LHP, Arkansas (profile)

HT: 6'5" WT: 220 lbs.

2005 Stats: 19 APP, 17 GS, 2 CG, W-L 8-2, 99 2/3 IP, 87 H, 38/31 R/ER, 39 BB, 89 K, 2.80 ERA, .235 BAA

2006 Stats: 17 APP, 17 GS, 1 CG, W-L 9-3, 116 2/3 IP, 90 H, 42/39 R/ER, 50 BB, 145 K, 3.01 ERA, .211 BAA

Bio: As a sophomore, Nick Schmidt won the SEC Pitcher of the Year Award. He was also first team All-SEC after being on the second team as a freshman.

Schmidt began his season by combining on a no-hitter against Oklahoma State. He was named the NCBWA Pitcher of the Week after he struck out six in six innings. In his next star he went up against TCU (who has at least two high round picks in Sam Demel and Jake Arrieta) and struck out seven in six innings.

In a loss to Florida Schmidt struck out 11 Gators. In a tough luck loss against Georgia, Schmidt struck out 13 Bulldogs, including 1B Josh Morris twice and Freshman All-American SS Gordon Beckham thrice. Schmidt wound up on the winning side when he went head-to-head with Tennessee Volunteer lefty James Adkins and struck out 11 batters. During the SEC tournament he struck out 15 Auburn Tigers en route to his ninth win.

Here's what Patrick Ebert wrote in a profile on Schmidt at Brewerfan.net:

He pitches comfortably in the 88-92 range and also mixes in a solid slider and changeup, giving him a proven, three-pitch repertoire. He has the size to sustain long innings while maintaining his velocity, and the natural pitching moxie to get batters out when he doesn't have his best stuff.

If the draft were held today, this is the guy I would want the Rockies to take. He's faced possibly the stiffest competition in college baseball and has more than held his own. He, Price and Rice's Joe Savery (who's up next) are rare talents that don't come very often and Savery and Schmidt should definitely be high on the Rockies draft board come June.

If anyone followed the chat Aaron Fitt had on Baseball America's website about college baseball, he said he would take Schmidt or Cal State Fullerton's Wes Roemer (up after Savery) to start the final game of the CWS.

Possible Important Starts:

3/23/07-3/25/07: Schmidt should face Vandy's David Price.

3/30/07-4/1/07: Lefty vs. lefty as Schmidt should face Tennessee's James Adkins.

4/13/07-4/15/07: Will Schmidt face a resurgent Matt LaPorta of the Florida Gators?

5/17/07-5/19/07: Arkansas closes out the regular season against Ole Miss, a great offense.

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Comments

Arkansas catcher Brian Walker

played at my high school, and told my brother that what makes Schmidt the most difficult to catch is the movement he generates on his fastball.

Looking at the way the Rockies have gone in the draft the last two years, and the success of Tulowitzki, the safe, signable college player has been a good route with our early pick (though I would have preferred a different safe college player last season, he still looks like a qualified success). The Rockies can get away with this because they are so strong in international scouting. When you can get your high risk/high reward talents abroad, you can go safe in the draft.

That said, safe in this case is still a number two/three starter with a broad repitoire and a track record of success in a tough college. If I was handicapping the draft on a personal hunch this early, I think the Rockies would be a very likely landing place for either Schmidt or Savery, as you say.

It really looks like this draft is shaping up to be a really good one, though it could use a few more college hitters...

by David "ohno" on Jan 6, 2007 8:00 PM MST reply actions