Prospect Countdown: #14 Bryan Brickhouse

14. Bryan Brickhouse Right Handed Pitcher

baseballfactory.com

Age: 21
Position: RHP
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 195
B/T: R/R
Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd Round of the 2011 Amateur Draft
From: The Woodlands, TX


Paden Bennett (20):  Bryan Brickhouse has an electric arm.  Brickhouse has an above average fastball and a solid curveball.  The problem is he has had trouble being able to locate his pitches consistently.  However, this is a problem for a lot of 20 year old pitchers so there is still plenty of time for him to figure this thing out.  I see him starting in Lexington and beginning to put some things together this season.

Joe Cox (17): Bryan Brickhouse is a 20 year old right handed pitcher who was selected by the Royals in the third round of the 2011 draft.  Brickhouse profiles a mid-90’s fastball with a plus curveball, and a change-up that is still a work in progress, but has a potential for growth.  Brickhouse skipped short season rookie league and went straight to A ball last year from extended spring training.  He struggled in 10 starts but still showed modest strikeout skills and had a far better FIP (3.98) than ERA (5.61).  From all indications Brickhouse will have another go at it in the A league in 2013.  While Brickhouse is a work in progress, scouts love him and he still possesses a high ceiling.

Damion Mandalas (22):  There's a lot to like with Brickhouse, despite his lackluster 2012 campaign. Brickhouse has a plus fastball that he can dial up to 96 mph with good late life, a quality 75-79 mph curveball, with a slider and change up that have shown flashes of being plus offerings. The Royals invested $1.5 million in Brickhouse and if he can develop three quality pitches he could profile as a quality mid rotation innings eater. If he can't master his command, he could still salvage a nice Major League career as a reliever thanks to his dynamic fastball.

Dan Ware (15):  Bryan Brickhouse, coming from the same high school as Jameson Taillon (Pirates top pitching prospect), contains a mid-90's fastball, a plus curve, and changeup that still needs time to develop.  Most of the time, young pitchers with high velocity on the fastball will have control issues, and judging by his K/BB ratio, he's still far from Kansas City, which isn't a problem considering his age.  In 2012, his groundball and flyball % were 51.4 and 23.1, respectively.  I do feel that starting off in Lexington for 2013 would be the right move for Brickhouse.  This will give him a chance to work on mechanics and start off fresh.

Total Points: 50