What is Mitch Atkins' pitching repetoire like?

[badnews]

Fastball speed? Secondary pitches?

[RichHillIsABeast]

according to BA:

 

3/4 delivery

 

Low 90's fastball (90-92) with good sink

 

Slurvy breaking ball (has trouble staying "on top")

 

Unreliable changeup

 

Reportedly has poor command, but his K/BB numbers have improved every year. He misses a lot of bats. I've never seen him play, so all this is just based on what I've read.

[Guest]

From all I can tell, his changeup is much more reliable at Daytona this season. Didn't understand their poor command comment.

[RichHillIsABeast]

From all I can tell, his changeup is much more reliable at Daytona this season. Didn't understand their poor command comment.

 

Yeah, that was from BA's handbook. It doesn't make sense if you look at his BB/9 and K/BB numbers. :?

[Guest]

From all I can tell, his changeup is much more reliable at Daytona this season. Didn't understand their poor command comment.

 

Yeah, that was from BA's handbook. It doesn't make sense if you look at his BB/9 and K/BB numbers. :?

 

I assume they meant command of his secondary pitches, but I still think he has pretty good command of them. I think BA lowballed Mitch Atkins in last year's top 30 list.

[craig]

Atkins has been pretty strongly fly-ball oriented this year, and has been HR-prone throughout his career. So, I'm suspecting that just as BA's report may be not very accurate on it's negatives, I wonder if it isn't also baloney on the positive, the sinker. Not many sinkerballers who get as few groundouts as Mitch, at least not if their sinker is at all good.

 

The other thing is that Atkins had shoulder trouble earlier this season, I think. Not sure how that may have affected him, how that might be affecting him now, or how that might affect him future.

[CoolHandLuke]

Mitch Atkins is terribly under-rated IMO. His numbers over the last two years have been in the same ballpark as Jacob McGee who is only one year younger, yet you never hear about him, whereas everyone loves McGee.

[RichHillIsABeast]

But while he may talk a little like Mayberry's Gomer Pyle, Atkins is pitching like fellow native North Carolinian Catfish Hunter (ask your father). A fastball that has gained velocity (consistent low-to-mid 90s) since he was drafted out of high school three years ago and a curveball that is just as effective against advanced Class-A hitters as it was in his prep days has Atkins climbing up the minor-league ladder.

 

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Sports/Headlines/sptCUBS01061107.htm

[Bear Cub]

Its be awhile, but Atkins was the most impressive pitcher I saw at Fitch.

[Outshined_One]

Mitch Atkins is terribly under-rated IMO. His numbers over the last two years have been in the same ballpark as Jacob McGee who is only one year younger, yet you never hear about him, whereas everyone loves McGee.

 

Jacob McGee

Throws: L

Birthday: 8/6/1986

Current Age: 20

Level: A+ (FSL)

2006 Stats (MID): 7-9, 26 GS, 134 IP, 103 H, 7 HR, 171/65 K/BB, 2.96 ERA, 1.02 GO/FO, .211 BAA, 1.25 WHIP

2007 (FSL): 4-2, 13 GS, 70.2 IP, 54 H, 4 HR, 82/24 K/BB, 2.42 ERA, .75 GO/FO, .208 BAA, 1.11 WHIP

 

Mitch Atkins

Throws: R

Birthday: 10/1/1985

Current Age: 21

Level: A+ (FSL)

2006 Stats (MID): 13-4, 25 GS, 138.1 IP, 110 H, 10 HR, 127/53 K/BB, 2.41 ERA, .73 GO/FO, .217 BAA, 1.18 WHIP

2007 (FSL): 5-3, 12 GS, 68.1 IP, 56 H, 7 HR, 49/16 K/BB, 2.24 ERA, .62 GO/FO, .228 BAA, 1.05 WHIP

 

...I'm not seeing it. McGee strikes out more guys by a healthy margin and does a better job of keeping the ball in the park. Plus, McGee's almost year younger and left-handed.

 

That's not taking anything away from Atkins' success, but it's not a comparison that works, imo.

[Guest]

McGee has better stuff too.

[CoolHandLuke]

I guess what I was going for, is that the numbers are not dissimilar enough to the point where Mitch Atkins should barely crack a weaker organization's top thirty. Obviously McGee is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball right now, and Atkins is nowhere near that level, it's just that he doesn't get much respect from BA, considering the numbers he has put up, and at least above average stuff(as far as I can tell).

[Guest]

I guess what I was going for, is that the numbers are not dissimilar enough to the point where Mitch Atkins should barely crack a weaker organization's top thirty. Obviously McGee is one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball right now, and Atkins is nowhere near that level, it's just that he doesn't get much respect from BA, considering the numbers he has put up, and at least above average stuff(as far as I can tell).

 

That I can get behind. He's a top-10 Cubs prospect now, in my opinion.