Yankees Daily

Full Name: David Edward Phelps
Position: Pitcher
Born: 10/09/1986
Birthplace: St. Louis, MO
College: Notre Dame
Height: 6′ 3″
Weight: 190
Bats: R
Throws: R

Notre Dame David Phelps stats

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Background:

Selected out of Notre Dame by the New York Yankees in the 14th round (440th overall) of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft. Was a SAL Postseason All-Star Selection in 2009.

High School:

David Phelps was a three-year regular at Hazelwood West High School, Missouri, compiling a 2.96 career ERA, 14-4 record and 172 Ks in 109.2 innings (27 GP/17 GS, nine CG, six SV 46 BB). His nine inning career averages included 14.1 Ks and 3.8 walks (3.7 K-to-BB ratio).

Was listed by Baseball America as top prospect in Missouri among ’05 prep seniors (#76 in nation) while Team One slotted him as nation’s #84 prospect (31st among RHPs) . Named all-state as senior team MVP (1.56, 6- 2, 3 SV, 88 K, 19 BB, 54 IP, 5 CG, 11 GP/8 GS). He set a school record with 30-inning scoreless streak in ’05. Was the team captain, all-conference and all-metro performer in ’04 and ’05.

His ’04 stats included a 2.65 ERA and 59 Ks in 34.1 IP (4-2, two SV, 13 BB, nine GP/five GS, three CG). Was an all-conference pitcher and outfielder in ’03 (conference champs) and ’04.

Logged a 3.61 ERA and 25 Ks as sophomore in ’03 (4-0, save, 14 BB, 21.1 IP, seven GP/four GS, CG). Tossed 1-hitter in ’04 vs. St. Charles and in ’04 summer with Midwest Prospects, totaling 16 Ks versus Colorado-based Play Ball Sports team (at Omaha tournament).

Lettered twice in basketball at HWHS. Phelps is a smart guy because he was an honor-roll student and member of National Honor Society.

Notre Dame freshman 2006:

Served primarily as a reliever while logging three starts among his 12 appearances. His 26.2 innings tied for second-most among the four rookie pitchers. @on both of his decisions while posting a 7.09 ERA, better than a 2-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (23/10) and a .280 opponent batting average (30 hits, none of them home runs) Had a solid midseason stretch with a 1.15 ERA in span of six outings (15.2 IP) but his season also included inconsistency with his control and focus (five hit batters, two wild pitches, two balks)

Owned third-best groundout-to-flyout ratio on the staff (1.5), also ranking fourth on staff in groundout rate (11.1 per nine IP) and fifth with 7.8 Ks per nine IP (18.9 of his outs per nine IP came via Ks or GOs) Held right-handed hitters to .237 batting avg. (4th on staff)

Notre Dame 2007:

Bounced back from rocky freshman season by turning in one of the best seasons ever by a Notre Dame pitcher in 2007. Named first team all- BIG EAST Conference while becoming the second Notre Dame pitcher ever to post 100- plus strikeouts (102) and an ERA under 2.00 during the same season (1.88). Also earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors and advanced to the Academic All-America ballot, after carrying a 3.36 cumulative GPA into the 2007 season Finished ’07 season as league leader in overall ERA (1.87; 14th in the nation) and strikeouts (102; sixth in ND history) while ranking third among BIG EAST pitchers with 110.1 innings, seventh in lowest opp. batting average (.236) and eighth in wins (8-5). In ’07 regular-season BIG EAST games, he finished second in ERA (2.14, trailing only Seton Hall’s Keith Cantwell) plus first in strikeouts (67) and innings (71.1), second in Ks looking (26) and pickoffs (4), third in wins (5-3) and 10th in lowest opp. batting (.242). Pitched well enough to win at least 13 of his 15 starts. Posted the 11th-best season ERA in the Notre Dame record book and eighth-best of the aluminum-bat era (since early-’80s). Led ’07 staff in ERA, wins, strikeouts, innings, starts (15; sixth in BIG EAST), Ks looking (42) and groundouts (119), also ranking third on staff in lowest opp. batting avg. Had 15 more innings pitched than hits allowed (96, six of them HRs). Fnished with staff’s second-best Kto- walk ratio (3.4; 102/30). His nine-inning averages included a team-best 7.1 innings per start, 8.3 Ks (second on the team) and 2.5 walks (third-lowest on staff), plus 7.8 hits. Became the fifth different Notre Dame pitcher ever to reach 100 strikeouts in a season. Posted double-digit strikeouts three times during ’07 regular season

Notre Dame 2008:

Went 5-5 with a 4.65 earned run average in 14 starts. He tossed 93.0 innings and allowed 102 hits along with 75 strikeouts. Phelps, a third team all-BIG EAST selection in 2008, worked at least five innings in 13 of this 14 starts this season and pitched into the seventh inning on seven different occasions

Scouting Report:

As you can see, he had a great sophomore season at Notre Dame but his junior season wasn’t as good. He wasn’t drafted as high because his junior stats weren’t as good as his  2007 sophomore season. Became a great pick for the Yankees after he was the ace of the Staten Island pitching staff.

Positives:

He developed more confidence as a pitcher since coming to the Yankees than his last year at college. He didn’t throw inside to the college hitters because if they got around on one of Phelps’ pitches that he threw over the plate, they would smash it because they used aluminum bats. The only use wood in the minors and majors.

Phelps considers himself a finesse pitcher because he pitches to contact. He also forces the action instead of pitching around guys like in college. He now attacks batters and is not afraid to throw any of his pitches early in the count.

Phelps’ fastball has been clocked between 89-95 mph but it will sit in the low 90′s. He has a good sinking two-seam fastball along with a plus slider. Since turning his slider into a plus pitch, he raised his K/9 rate to a career high 7.51 in A+ Tampa while continuing to exhibit the command and control he’s been lauded for in the past (1.41 BB/9).

On any given night, Phelps can keep a team off-balance by spotting his two-sink fastballs with movement and change-ups and then throw his tailing slider on an 0-2 count to get a batter out. He’ll usually try to spot his pitches and if he gets to an 0-2 count, he’ll throw a breaking ball to strike them out. However, he usually wants to pitch to contact so he could limit his pitch count. He keeps the ball on a downward plane and stays consistent and efficient with all of his pitches.

He also has a deceptive delivery that makes his fastball seem like it’s jumping on a hitter and throws a 1-to-7 curve ball that changes planes. He has a solid feel for his change up and an understanding of how to use it, particularly against right-handed batters.

He improved his command by dropping his hands lower in his wind-up to help him get a more fluid arm swing. He also shortened his leg-kick.

David Phelps brings a bulldog mentality to the mound in every appearance. Went 13-4, with a 2.38 ERA and with a strikeout/walk ratio of 122-31 between Charleston and Tampa in 2009.

Weaknesses:

His curve ball flashes hard and has a late break which is good. It could be a plus-offering if he can get more consistent spin (perhaps by more effectively repeating his release point). Was inconsistent at times in Charleston where he gave up more than four earned runs, four times.

Pitches:

Throws a two-seam fastball, a slider, a curve ball and a change up.

The Future:

He’s able to win games and battle even when he doesn’t have his best stuff. Could be a middle of a rotation pitcher but would also be good in the middle of the Yankees’ bull pen. If he gets good consistency with his curve ball and develops a slow pitch to give batters to look at,  the goal of making the big show could be realized. Will probably start in Tampa with a quick call up to Trenton if he has success.

David Phelps scouting report.

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