2013 MLB Draft Profile- Tyler Danish, RHP, Durant HS (FL)

Summary

The first thing that jumps out about Danish is his delivery, which is one of the most unique in recent memory. Not only does he employ an extremely low 3/4 arm slot that borders on sidearm, but he also uses an extremely quick slide-step towards home plate rather than a more traditional stride, and he gets the ball out of his hand with more rapidity than most can ever hope to. Though 6'0" and just 170 pounds according to Perfect Game, Danish is able to generate big velocity- up to 95 MPH with his fastball- and should be able to maintain that velocity more consistently as he fills out.

In addition to his big fastball and unorthodox mechanics, Danish also has a plus slider with corkscrew break generated by his arm slot. The 1-2 punch of his fastball and slider has been lethal to high school hitters, and will most likely be his bread and butter throughout his pro career. Danish also possesses advanced control and pounds the zone, and seems to know how to use his mechanics to his advantage. Though some scouts might cringe at his delivery, his arm action is fairly clean and he should be a relatively sturdy pitcher as his frame fills out. If he's relegated to a bullpen role later on, it will be because he failed to develop a more effective changeup.

Danish's funky delivery might be seen as a positive to some teams, even if it brings up questions about his future command, because of how much deception it creates. The time in between him starting his delivery and the release of the ball is shorter than that of any other pitcher I've ever seen, and when that is paired with his mid-90s heat, it adds another dimension of intimidation to his game. In addition, it will make it incredibly difficult to steal bases while he's on the mound.

College commitment: Florida

MLB Floor

Danish should have no trouble finding a role as a bullpen specialist given his combination of deceptive mechanics, velocity and a quality breaking ball, and he could have late inning potential as a reliever.

MLB Ceiling

It's tough to envision Danish ever having plus command within the zone given the nature of his mechanics, but his deception, velocity, advanced pitchability and present above-average slider make it very possible to envision him as a number three starter at the MLB level.

Will he sign?

It's very possible that he won't. He's committed to his hometown Florida Gators, and since he's such a unique prospect teams might be tentative to go over slot on him. He's probably around a 50/50 shot, since most project him to go fairly early.

Projected Draft Round

Danish is currently ranked 96th overall by Baseball America, and if he is perceived as signable, he should be drafted in or around the third round.

Video

Tyler Danish's 3/4 Delivery (via Patrick Welter)