2016 MLB Draft Profile: Cody Sedlock, RHP, Illinois

Information

Height: 6-4

Weight: 210

B/T: R/R

Classification: Junior

Summary

The SEC and ACC takes the crown in baseball this year. But, the Big Ten is not a scrub conference in baseball. With them being predominantly a cold-weather conference, their athletes tend to be less sound due to not compiling the innings of play that their southern or even western counterparts accrue. Yet, they are not deft of talent. Cody Sedlock is an example of that talent. He carries the highest honor a pitcher gets from the Big Ten in that he was the 2016 Pitcher of the Year.

He lead the league in strikeouts and in innings. He was third in conference games ERA as well as batting average against. He also holds the school record in strikeouts.

This season he had a 10.30 SO/9 and a 2.75 BB/9. His ERA was 2.49 across 101 1/3 innings. His WHIP was 1.10.

He also faced off against top college players last year in the Cape Cod League where he posted a 3.41 ERA in 29 innings. In the Cape, his SO/9 was 8.07 and BB/9 was 2.17. He allowed a lot more hits at 10..86 H/9 with a WHIP that went up to 1.45.

His best pitch is a mid-90's fastball that can fluctuate from 91 up to 96. He compliments it with two breaking balls, both a slider and curve. He relies on the one he feels the best with on any given day. Somedays he has the curve working and others the slider. He also uses a rare changeup but is definitely a lagging pitch.

Mechanically, there are somethings that I don't like. he attempts to uses his legs but I think it could be a little cleaner. My issue is that he can get firm on the front side which gets worse because he jerks his head around to whip his arm. That creates a faster and more violent release to decelerate in a small window due to a firmer front side. It creates a very firm recoil. The concern here is the shoulder. Not the elbow.

Floor

Inconsistent off-speed pitches with a good fastball that's usually harder in short stints sounds like a reliever. He's a typical college pitcher that transitioned to starting as a Junior, so the innings to refine the craft are limited. However, even with inconsistent as he may be with the off-speed, he limits walks and gets strikeouts. A late reliever or long man seems like a pretty solid floor.

Ceiling

If he can truly get a four-pitch mix by the changeup developing and getting more consistent with the other offerings, he has solid frontline stuff. Not standout ace frontline stuff. But, the solid number two type pitcher. It takes some good dreaming to see that though. A number three upside is more likely.

Projected Draft Round

He's ranked in the 30's in most lists but recent mock drafts have him going in the mid-to-late first round with some mocks directly to the Astros at 17.

Will he sign?

Why not? He's the Big Ten pitcher of the year that can go in middle of the first round. Doubt he raises his stock any higher than that. Not without considerable risk. He'll sign.

Bibliography

Baseball America Game Report

Sedlock’s best pitch is his fastball, which was consistently 94-95 mph and well-spotted with good, late sink. His final strikeout in the ninth was on a 93-mph fastball. He throws a curveball and slider as well and sporadically throws the changeup. He said he threw the change just four times Thursday.
Read more at http://www.baseballamerica.com/college/game-report-cody-sedlock/#XWIhcB8Q271Dr3Q7.99

River Avenue Blues

Scouting Report
Out of the bullpen, the 6-foot-4 and 210 lb. Sedlock would routinely touch 96 mph, though he’s been mostly 91-93 mph as a starter this spring. He does hold his velocity deep into games, which always seems to be a challenge for reliever-to-starter conversion guys. Sedlock’s main secondary pitch is a low-80s slider that is a legitimate swing-and-miss offering on its best days. He also throws both a changeup and curveball. They’re underdeveloped at this point because he leaned on his heater and slider out of the bullpen. Sedlock has cleaned up his delivery with the Illini and now does a much better job throwing strikes and staying on line with the plate.