2.57 Boston Red Sox - Brandon Workman, RHP, Texas

The Red Sox spent the 57th overall pick on Brandon Workman.

Follow the jump for his pre-draft report.

Brandon Workman   Position: RHP   School: Texas   State: TX   Year: Jr.   Height: 6’5’’   Weight: 220

Birth Date: 8/13/88   Seiler Rating: 1B2   Last Drafted: 2007 (PHI-3)

Brandon Workman is a tall right-handed pitcher from the University of Texas. Workman came to Texas from Bowie High School in Bowie, Texas. He was a heavily scouted player in high school, and even though he wasn’t considered one of the elite arms in his high school class, he was still considered one of the most projectable. It turns out that the projection scouts saw has come to fruition. The Phillies spent a third round pick on him in 2007 out of high school, but after a failed attempt to sign him, he’s gone on to have a solid career for the Longhorns, pitching mostly in a swing role until this spring, when he’s been in the rotation. He’s put together a career year, and with a late-season surge, he could be picked in the first half of the first round as a potential number two starter. His fastball isn’t his best pitch, but it’s easily above-average, sitting 90-93, touching 95, and he’s done a better job of command it this spring, which was his weak point coming into school. Having come from a small high school program, he was fairly raw, and the hope of scouts is that he’s going to continue to develop what he’s started in school. His best pitch is a plus to plus-plus curveball that is one of the best pitches from a college pitcher in this class, and he throws an above-average cutter, as well. His changeup is an average pitch without much room for more, but with an effective cutter, he’s effective against left-handed hitters. He should go in the first twenty picks of the draft, though could fall into the early part of the supplemental first round if he’s a backup plan for enough teams. He should garner a slot bonus, and he’s likely to sign quickly.