Though he ranks behind Mark Appel and Jonathan Gray, Braden Shipley is without a doubt the third-best college pitcher. A converted position player, Shipley brings excellent athleticism and raw ability to the mound, wowing scouts with his fastball/changeup combo. He has moved up draft boards steadily all spring.
MLB Draft 2013 scouting report round-up: RHP Braden Shipley
Looking at one of the more fascinating cases in the 2013 draft.
Shipley is projected to go somewhere in the back end of the first 10 picks of the draft, which seems about right for someone of his caliber. He has considerable upside, but with the lack of a good breaking ball comes the risk that he won’t miss bats at the highest level.
Vital statistics
| Pos | College | Consensus rank |
| RHP | Nevada | 1st round (top 10) |
| B/T | Birthdate (age) | Height / Weight |
| R/R | 2/22/92 (21) | 6'3 / 190 pounds |
What they’re saying
- Aaron Fitt, Baseball America: “Scouts love Shipley’s athleticism, easy arm action and prototypical 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. Shipley said his grandfather told him in the last few years that he is related to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Jordan Shipley — but Braden might be the family’s best athlete.”
- Keith Law, ESPN: “He’s hit 99 mph but pitches more at 92-95, throwing strikes with an easy, low-effort delivery. His best pitch is his changeup, a plus offering at 83-86 mph with great arm speed and heavy late action on it. His curveball is just average now, 78-80 with some angle to it and plenty of depth.”
- Matt Garrioch, Minor League Ball: “(if) you opt for the quicker impact, Shipley is no slouch with his upper 90’s velocity.”
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