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1.19 Houston Astros - Mike Foltynewicz, RHP, Minooka Community HS (IL)

By Andy Seiler

The Astros selected Mike Foltynewicz. Here's his profile:

 

Mike Foltynewicz   Position: RHP   School: Minooka Community HS   State: IL   Height: 6’4’’   Weight: 190

Birth Date: 10/7/91   Seiler Rating: 1B1   Commitment: Texas

Mike Foltynewicz is a tall, projectable right-handed pitcher from Minooka Community High School in Minooka, Illinois, a far southwestern suburb about 50 miles outside of Chicago. Foltynewicz has really come on strong this spring, and it’s looking more and more like he’ll be a top prospect in short order. He seemed to get better and better every time scouts saw him, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him jump into the natural first round. He features an arsenal of multiple above-average pitches, and I see his ceiling as that of a true number two starter, capable of shutting down Major League offenses. His fastball is his best pitch, a true 92-94 mph offering that touches 96, and he has the frame to add even a tick or two more. His delivery is reminiscent of Tim Lincecum’s, though he doesn’t get the same extra-long stride that Lincecum incorporates in his back-to-the-plate windup. He does get excellent late life on his fastball and has average command, making it a plus to plus-plus future pitch. He uses a pair of breaking balls in a curveball and slider, but his curveball is the better pitch. It’s an upper-70s pitch that has great power and late break, getting above-average future grades from scouts. His slider is an 82-84 mph pitch with some tilt, though it’s more of an average show-me offering than a Major League quality pitch. His changeup advanced more than his other offerings this spring, and it has received a few future plus grades due to excellent fade. With all this progress, “Folty” now projects as a supplemental first or second round arm, perhaps even as high as the natural first round as I said above. A University of Texas commitment shouldn’t be a factor if his name gets called that high.

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