Cubs Draftee Profile: Rob Zastryzny

In Commentary And Analysis, News And Rumors by GW30 Comments

 

zastryzny

Am I the only one trying to avoid Rich Hill flashbacks?

For the second year in a row, the Cubs have selected a pitcher from Missouri with their second round pick. Last time around it was Pierce Johnson from Missouri State. This time it’s 6’3″ lefty Rob Zastryzny from Mizzou. Could this be the start of another run on pitching from the Cubs? In 2012 they took 7 pitchers in a row after Almora and 10 of 13. That sort of run makes me a little uncomfortable, but if any team needs to do it, even for multiple years, it’s the Cubs.

Scouting Reports

MLB.com

The latest in a long line of talented Missouri pitchers, Zastryzny has a good feel for the craft of pitching. His fastball typically sits in the upper-80s, but Zastryzny has the ability to add and subtract velocity as necessary. His fastball velocity typically ranges from 86 mph to 94 mph. Zastryzny, a left-hander, uses his height – he’s listed at 6-foot-3 – to create a downhill angle for his fastball, which has late action. Zastryzny also throws a changeup and slider. He commands his whole arsenal well and all three of his pitches have the chance to be at least Major League-average offerings.

Baseball America (#76)

Though Zastryzny won just two of his first 11 starts this spring as Missouri got a rude welcome to the Southeastern Conference, scouts aren’t holding that against him. A lefthander who can really pitch with his fastball, he should go in the first three rounds. Zastrzyny effortlessly adds and subtracts from his fastball, usually sitting around 90 mph but capable of dropping down to 86 or elevating four-seamers up in the zone at 95. The 6-foot-3, 193-pounder can locate his fastball to either side of the plate and gets good angle, which helps it play up further. His most reliable secondary pitch is his changeup, which shows flashes of being a plus offering. His breaking ball is less consistent, as he will switch between a slider and curveball. Zastryzny throws strikes but will need to refine his command in pro ball.

 

 

Stats

In 90+ innings this year, Zastryzny struck out 82 while walking 24 and giving up 93 hits. He also gave up 10 HRs in 2013, as compared to only 4 in 109 innings in 2012. Mizzou’s move to the tougher SEC may have hurt him in this regard. Overall, nothing too overwhelming here, but that’s not unexpected. Jonah Hill isn’t making these picks on his Vaio.

 

Video Profile

 

As is the case with Bryant, Zastryzny is evidently not lacking in the ego tool. That’s it for the Cubs on Day 1. Check back tomorrow for Rounds 3-10.

 

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Comments

  6. EnricoPallazzo

    @ SVB:
    we need to stop with that pic. it’s kind of freaking me out. fortunately, it gets evened out by the ad for the bad idea t-shirt girl with the huge cans.

    @GW – digging your hard work tonight. gracias.

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  7. EnricoPallazzo

    someone posted a link recently that looked through which draftees tend to make it to the show and which. don’t. i don’t recall who posted it, and i don’t remember enough to just google it (i read like three sentences and then got sidetracked), and i also don’t feel like going through the last several posts because i don’t really remember when it was posted. anywho, if the OP sees this, can you re-post the link?

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  8. 2883

    Just sayin’ / not sayin’, lefties who only throw 92 who struggle with their command, aren’t good prospects, Seems more like a signability pick than a guy whom they were coveting. I would expect at a bare minimum one or two big picks tomorrow

    Best players left include : C Jon Denney OF Cord Sandberg (no relation) and OF Ryan Boldt (al of whom are committed)

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  11. dmick89

    Keith Law had Zastryzny at 58.

    Zastryszny is a four-pitch starter who lacks a true out pitch, changing speeds and locations to get hitters out in a way that will be tough to replicate at higher levels. Zastryszny will run his four-seamer up to 92-93 and mixes in a two-seamer at 87-88 that has some sink but hasn’t kept him from being homer-prone this year in the Big 12. His changeup at 80-81 has good arm speed, and he’ll throw an occasional show-me curve at 75-76 with good shape but soft rotation.

    He’s a strike-thrower who drifts off the mound a little early and turns his pitching hand over just as his front foot lands, generating very little torque from his hips to maintain or boost his velocity. I think he’s a back-end starter because of his control and left-handedness, although he’ll have to use the four-seamer less so he doesn’t become a 35-homer-a-year guy.

    Player Grades
    PRESENT FUTURE LOW(MPH) HIGH(MPH)
    Fastball 55 55 — —
    FB Movement 40 40 — —
    Command — — — —
    Control — — — —
    Curveball 45 45 — —
    Changeup 50 55 — —
    Feel for Pitching 40 45 — —

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  12. dmick89

    @ 2883:
    I don’t really know what to make of this pick. Having the ability to add and subtract on the fastball is nice, but is that because he can’t throw 90+ for 6 innings? That would be my guess. If that’s true, this guy is going to have to have pinpoint control. I think the Cubs see something here beyond the numbers. Not sure what that would be.

    This guy seems like more of a 3rd round pick to me.

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  14. 2883

    @ dmick89:
    I’m guessing it’s a signability pick, the slot for this pick was roughly 1.2 mil, he’ll likely sign for a lot less than that (500k-750k feels right). That frees up the other 500-700k to add to another slot to make a run at a top prospect.

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  15. dmick89

    @ 2883:
    I’d be surprised if he signed for half the slot value. I guess I could see 900K or 1M, but I don’t think we’ll see anything below that. Even Hayden Simpson signed for a little over 1M when the slot value was roughly 1.5M. Simpson was a 3rd to 5th round talent taken in the top 20 picks. This guy is more like a 2nd to 3rd round talent taken at the top of the 2nd round. I think he gets close to slot.

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  16. 2883

    @ dmick89:
    Wasn’t that before the new rules on slot bonuses… Before 2012 it was just a suggestion… now teams have more leverage because they can go back to a guy and say, we drafted you here you would’ve made x , now you can make x+y. (where y > 0) We can’t offer you more than this because we need to address our top 10 picks but we want you in the organization.

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  18. dmick89

    @ 2883:
    Yeah, but I don’t think we know if there will be a difference in terms of offering under slot. IIRC, teams are required to offer a contract close in value to the slot values. ZasF7 could just wait it out. I’ll have to double check that.

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  22. dmick89

    @ Suburban kid:
    I’ve decided I’m never going to get that spelling down. That name doesn’t even make sense. I never had a problem with Samardzija’s name because you could sound it. Pretty simple, really. This name? Nope. It’s a fucking mess.

    Yes, draft today is at 11:30 Central. 12 pm Central tomorrow.

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  28. Author
    GW

    @ WaLi:

    Couple of things:

    1. The WCC is not a top 8 conference.

    2. Those minor league numbers are going to have real selection bias in them.

    3. Big time college baseball is probably near the A-level, maybe even A+-ish for the SEC, so a chunk of those stats are going to be guys effectively moving down a level.

    That said, yes, I think it’s somewhat encouraging.

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  30. 2883

    They’re not required to offer anywhere near slot they could offer the guy $5.00 and tell him to go footlong himself if they wanted.. But then they would run the risk of him being like fuck you I’m a Jr. I’ll see you bitches next year

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