4.144 Los Angeles Angels - Max Russell, LHP, Florida Southern

The Angels spent the 144th overall pick on Max Russell.

Follow the jump for his pre-draft profile.

Max Russell   Position: LHP   School: Florida Southern   State: FL   Year: Jr.   Height: 6’2’’   Weight: 190

Birth Date: 9/21/88   Seiler Rating: 2C2   Last Drafted: Never

Max Russell is a polished college left-handed starting pitcher from Florida Southern University. Russell originally came to Florida Southern from Amity Regional High School in Woodbridge, Connecticut, which is just outside of New Haven. He was a year ahead in school of Jason Esposito, the 2008 seventh round pick who spurned the Royals in favor of Vanderbilt and who will be an early pick in the 2011 draft. Russell was a solid prospect of his own in high school, and he could have gone in the top ten rounds if he was signable for low money for a high school arm. He didn’t want that, however, and he went undrafted altogether in the 2007 draft, heading for Florida Southern. After missing the beginning of his freshman year for a minor injury, he struggled as a starter, only to return a completely different pitcher as a sophomore. He put together an excellent season, and he followed that up with another one this spring, only enhancing his draft prospects. Scouts see him as a potential number four starter due to his advanced arsenal, and they think he’s a fairly safe pick, which is interesting considering his cold-weather background. His fastball is an average pitch that sits 88-90, touching 92-93, and he effectively commands it where he wants it to go. He adds in a potential above-average curveball with good late break and a solid-average slider, as well as a fringe-average changeup. His four pitch arsenal should work well against wood bats, and he’s expected to go somewhere in the fourth to eighth round range as a signable college junior.