Originally drafted by the Cubs in 2016 in the 11th round out of BYU, Michael Rucker has been one of the best relief pitchers in the system in 2017. Because of his size, I initially thought he was going to be reliever. That’s exactly what he’s become here in his first full pro season, over which he has struck out an outstanding 1.57 batters per inning across 28 innings spread between two levels of A-ball.
Basic Info
Bats/Throws: L/R
Ht: 6’1″ Wt: 185
Draft: Round 11 (2016)
School: BYU
Strengths
Fastball command 92-96
Strikeout potential
Competitiveness
Throw strikes
Clean mechanics
Areas of Concern
Secondaries are developing at a fast rate
Size
What Others Say
The Draft Report said the following of Rucker’s talents after last year’s draft:
Michael Rucker checks two of our three boxes pretty easily: he’s 88-94 (96 peak) with his fastball while commanding three offspeed pitches (low-80s SL, low- to mid-80s CU, mid-70s CB) with a veteran’s mindset on the mound.