Danny Hultzen vs Mark Pope

by Kyle S on Apr 9, 2011 12:08 AM EDT

Went to the UVA/Ga Tech game tonight in Atlanta and sat amongst the scouts as a couple of potential first rounders were facing off on the bump.

Game started two hours late due to the engineering school being unable to keep the lights on. It was all pitching for the first few innings. Pope started out with 5 Ks to the first 6 hitters and only allowed one hit through 5. He was sitting around 90-91 with FB and mixing in a big bending CB as a strikeout/swing-and-miss pitch. He has a kind of gimmicky delay in his windup after he brings his hands over his head; whatever the reason, he was very tough for UVA to pick up the first time through the lineup.

Hultzen was sitting 93-94, with several pitches at 95-96, and a nasty 87mph slider to left handers. He was perfect through 3 2/3 until walking Skole, tech's best hitter, but got out of the fourth by striking out Jake Davies with two runners on.

Tech got on the board first in the fifth with a single just under Hultzen's glove, a double to left, and a great bunt by Kyle Wren (Braves GM Frank's son) down the third base line. Hultzen did get out of the inning allowing just the one run, but appeared to be tiring.

Meanwhile, Pope was tiring. After being untouchable for three innings, UVA began to put wood (metal?) on the ball in the fourth and fifth, and got to him in the seventh. With his fastball topping out 87-88, he relied more on his offspeed pitches, and hung a changeup to David Coleman who took it over the right field wall.

Hultzen came back strong in the sixth, getting his fastball back into the mid 90s and striking out the side. We left after the seventh since it was already after 11 and my five year old daughter was hitting the wall. Still a great game with two quality starting pitchers.

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Hmm

So Hultzen was keeping the mid-90’s velocity late into the game? I think the biggest question people have left is if he can carry the velocity deep into games, and so far, that seems to be the case. If he’s mid-90’s, with a plus change, and a slider that flashes plus potential, then when you factor how he’s dominated this year, if he keeps this up, he’s probably a deserving top 5ish pick.

by toonsterwu on Apr 9, 2011 12:45 AM EDT reply actions

btw

hope you had a good time. heck of a series. going to be curious if uva can pull this one out – the offense has been much better than i thought, and the pitching’s been excellent, but tech on the road is a tough beast. Tyler Wilson has been stronger than I expected as a starter, and Kline’s been excellent in the beck end of the pen replacing Arico.

by toonsterwu on Apr 9, 2011 12:49 AM EDT up reply actions

Man, I can't wait to get my first 2011 look at Hultzen

I loved what I saw last year, and the reports this year have been eye-popping. I probably won’t get my chance until post-season play though.

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by Jeff Reese on Apr 9, 2011 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions

almost every report this year

is suggesting that he can carry his new found mid-90’s velocity into the middle innings. I haven’t heard much about the his velo in say, the 90+ pitch range, but many people wear down at that point. If he really has mid-90’s heat into the mid-innings, that’s a huge improvement. By most accounts, he has added about 20-30 pounds since his HS days, so the next question is if his body holds this velocity through the year (he wore down freshman year, sophomore year, the velo was fine late in the year, but we were looking at more low 90’s stuff).

by toonsterwu on Apr 9, 2011 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Kendall Rogers was there and tweeted about his start:

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen also goes 1-2-3 in the first. He was 91-94 FB, 88 with a 2-seamer with a 78 CB. Same intriguing motion.#mlbdraft

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen was sick in the 2nd. Was 94-95 FB (tops 95), 86 SL with a nasty nasty 82 CH. #mlbdraft #Cavaliers #MLB

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen has 5 K’s thru 3 innings. He was 92-94 again in 3rd, with nasty 81-82 CH. This is Gerrit Cole-esque. #mlbdraft

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
We’re scoreless in 5th in Atlanta. #UVA P Hultzen was 91-93 FB, 86-87 SL, 82 CH in the fourth, now 7 K’s thru 4 innings. #mlbdraft #MLB #ACC

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#GaTech has put #Virginia P Danny Hultzen in a bind. After a Mott Hyde double, there are runners on 2nd/3rd, just 1 out. 0-0, Bot 5.

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#Virginia P Danny Hultzen gets out of the inning without further damage, but #GT leads 1-0 thru five. Hultzen still 92-93 FB. #mlbdraft

KendallRogersPG Kendall Rogers
#Virginia LHP Danny Hultzen with a solid 7th inning. He was 88-92 with FB in 7th (lost some velo), but had a nasty 82 CH. #mlbdraft #ACC

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by Jeff Reese on Apr 9, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

If

he’s still getting into the low 90’s in the 7th … that’s plenty solid and improvement.

by toonsterwu on Apr 9, 2011 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

read that Arizona is considering Cole, Rendon, and Hultzen for 3rd pick

http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/NickPiecoro/124759

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by doublestix on Apr 9, 2011 5:42 PM EDT reply actions

aka considering Hultzen?

They have to assume the former two are going to be taken (at this point), right?

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by JD Sussman on Apr 9, 2011 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions

So long as Hultzen doesn't want a ton of money

He makes perfect sense for Arizona.

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by Jeff Reese on Apr 9, 2011 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Hultzen

was probably fairly affordable before the year, and was going to be a potential steal, but he’s got to be raising his price with every strong start against good conference comp. Wow. He’ll also have the post-season to make a statement, and he’s fared very well in those situations his entire college career.

And yeah, I think you could safely assume that every team is “considering” Cole and Rendon, right? That’s like saying every contending team was “considering” trading for Cliff Lee last summer.

by blackoutyears on Apr 11, 2011 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions