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Brett Vansant Scouting Report

Right-Handed Pitcher
Santa Barbara City College

Tool (PV/FV)
Notes & Comments
Four-Seam Fastball (45/60)
Heavy fastball, even the four-seamer which is generally straighter and harder than two-seam. Great downward plane thanks to height at 6’9″, with arm-side action that bores in on RHH with run. Will really take off on him at times to arm-side, but generally fairly well-controlled, and can still get it out to glove-side corner. Touching 92 consistently in my looks in both February and November, but more likely to sit 89-90; projectable frame with a lot of room to add velocity in the next couple years. Velocity: 89-92.

Two-Seam Fastball (35/50)
More arm-side run than four-seamer; good life to arm side with some natural fade down to RHH, aided by 6’9″ frame. Tendency to really lose control and take off arm-side at times; plenty of room there to tighten up command and dot the pitch more consistently on glove-side corner. Tough for RHH in particular to square up, though; good life, occasionally late, to arm side. Expect more velocity to come in time; plenty of mechanical/arm action inefficiencies to iron out and pitch should improve considerably; maybe even a potential power sinker-type look here. Velocity: 86-89.

Changeup (25/40)
Changeup is generally flat; least advanced pitch of his repertoire in my looks. Tendency to leave it up at times; not much bite or downward tumble to it; does appear to be some type of cut action to his changeup at times, which comes late, but inconsistently. Lacks bite/life in general; should stand to improve considerably with reps and better execution, but tough to imagine it becoming a plus pitch even with development; more of a show-me that Brett Vansant must refine to use effectively in spots against LHH. Velocity: 79-83.

Curveball (35/50)
Curveball is markedly better the changeup with consistent downward action that even comes fairly late on occasion. 11-to-5 break that he’ll change the size of some, though generally a bigger breaking ball with sweeping action across the plate to glove side. Second time through the lineup in my game look he showed tendency to go to curveball quite a bit. Speed differential and eye level both play up for him here; will get bad swings from RHH on it, though not as much value here against LHH. Broadly, needs to be tighter and harder with more consistent depth along with that big sweeping action, but good foundation here to develop an average, effective breaking ball. Velocity: 71-75.

Command (40/50)
Generally a strike thrower who doesn’t want to dance much around the plate and will challenge hitters on both sides, but flashes tendency to lose command of the strike zone in pockets during his outings, particularly side to side when he becomes too horizontally rotational and release point flies out of whack. Will leave a lot of pitches up and to arm side when arm lags behind body; very long arm action with natural horizontal rotation early in his delivery leaves him susceptible to losing command, and to his stuff flattening out to one plane even despite his height. Command profile will improve considerably once an org tightens up and refines his mechanics; to that end, with development/adjustment to come mechanically, there’s a good shot his command/control future will be strong enough to remain a rotation arm.

Mechanics
Very, very long arms and legs; tons of moving parts through his delivery. Tendency to get horizontally rotational with back-turn to the hitter up to balance, and then a very long arm swing in the back that can get him off line and rotational through to the plate. Shows the ball very early, particularly to LHH, with long arm swing on back side. Additionally, will leave pitches up and arm side when this happens, and his arm is unable to catch up to his body; more risk from stretch, in particular, when lower half rushes through and arm can’t catch up. Low three-quarters release point with some gun slinger arm action; very loose, long arm. Tons of natural downward plane from height, but lower arm angle doesn’t accentuate it as well as you might hope; still, plenty of pitch life coming out of arm angle as it is now; imperative to corral it enough to show life in the zone without flying open and leaving stuff off plate arm-side.

Notes
Listed at 6’9″, 195 lbs; big, tall, lean, and very long kid with plenty of physical projection and a ton of weight/bulk yet to add to his frame in the coming years. Should remain pretty naturally lean through his career, but added bulk in time will help considerably with velocity, pitch life, and durability. Further mechanical refinements to stay on line and cut out excess horizontal rotation will further refine command and should give him a velocity boost. Generally 1.38 - 1.44 to the plate with runners on base; can get long through stretch, and lose command/release point. Division I bounce-back to Santa Barbara City College from Western Kentucky University, where he threw 9.2 innings in nine relief appearances as a true freshman in 2017. Native of Redlands, California, and Redlands East Valley High School.

MLB Draft
High-follow for 2018 MLB Draft on sheer size and physical projection alone. Figures to hear his name called at some point in June just thanks to long, lean frame and projectable, encouraging repertoire; very raw project who would do well in complex league/short-season ball for a summer or two, but definite pro chops here who is a likely 2018 MLB Draft target for organizations the next couple months. Type of raw, projectable guy an org should want in camp as soon as possible to begin refining/adjusting mechanics and developing into a pro pitcher. If it doesn’t happen now, Brett Vansant has the stuff and enticing physicality to bounce back to a Division I program from Santa Barbara City College for his four-year return; assuming health, etc., he should again become an MLB Draft follow from there.

OFP (55 FV)
Mid-rotation (#3/#4) arm at ceiling with plenty of upside thanks to notable physical projection and ideal height/size for rotation role; needs to add considerable bulk and strength to prove durability in pro game, and likely ticketed for short-season/complex leagues for at least a summer, if not two, to build a base. More likely fall back into back-end rotation/swingman role if stuff and command can’t quite develop to ceiling and generally middle out at or below average. Future floor working up-and-down in lower leverage middle/long relief role. Plenty of development to come here and a big project for an org to take on with plenty of risk to fall short of ceiling, but Brett Vansant has great physical upside with the foundation of a few solid pitches, and the combination could turn him into a decent back-end rotation prospect in the next few years. MLB ETA: 2023.

Brett Vansant Scouting Report, Santa Barbara City College — Game Video

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Bobby DeMuro

Bobby DeMuro is the founder of Baseball Census, the author of We Is Blaze, (obviously) a fan of minor league baseball, and an unlikely expert on the animated classic TV show King Of The Hill. For more on Bobby and the personal, human side of this site, follow him on Twitter and Facebook: @BobbyDeMuro.

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