28. Andrew Church, RHP
Height: 6’2
Weight: 190
DOB: 10/07/1994 (Age: 19)
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Fastball: 50/55 Curve: 40/55 Changeup: 35/50 Control: 40/50 Mechanics: 45/55
One of our 2013 draftees, Church was assigned to the GCL where he got some work in as a starter and as a reliever. His line for the season was 9 G, 3-3, 5.91 ERA, 35.0 IP, 49 H, 8 BB, 19 K. He throws a fastball that sits in the low 90s, a curveball that could turn into a nice MLB offering (not so sure if I’d call it plus, but it could be a tick above average), and a change-up that needs work, but can be refined into an average pitch. The more I read about Andrew Church, the more intrigued I am.
The scouting report behind Church comes with some weird background — after transferring High Schools to Palo Verde in 2010, he ran into some issues with transfer rules and was unable to pitch in 2011. He had transferred to Palo Verde to pitch for a familiar coach — who lost his position by the time Church was eligible to pitch again, and he didn’t have the best relationship with his new coach. He ended up swinging around to pitch for Basic High after moving to an apartment on his own — where, lo and behold, he was victimized by transfer rules again and was limited in his ability to pitch. I have heard, however, that he pitched for travel teams and tossed regular bullpen sessions.
The short version: Andrew Church is one of the most raw pitching prospects in our system, which is both good and bad. Scouts have rarely had a chance to check up on him because of that unfortunate set of events, but the Mets must have seen something in him. Amateur Scouting Director Tommy Tanous said “It was a nice mix of stuff and command…I went back to see Andrew pitch in his high school playoffs and he was tremendous in that game.”
His mechanics could use a little work in terms of consistency so he doesn’t put too much stress on his arm, but the ingredients are there for a solid pitcher in the future.
Outlook: I was a little confused with the pick to begin with since I was certain that the Mets chose Church to keep some money for the later rounds of the draft — but I am warming up to him just a little bit. He does have a chance to become a solid starter in the major leagues — very much in the mold of Dillon Gee. I don’t think he’ll ever be a dominant pitcher — but that certainly doesn’t mean he won’t be successful. With room to grow both physically and mentally, Church will find himself in Kingsport next year where the Mets will likely give him a chance to start on a regular basis. It wouldn’t be outlandish to think he could find success akin to Whalen/Flexen did this year. He allowed a ton of hits in the GCL this year, but this is a guy I would recommend you be patient with. With coaching, time, and just overall experience, Church could find himself rising up some prospect lists at the end of next year.
you’re welcome for the warmup.
Like this kid.
Huh? I am scratching my head with this pick, and more so that he’s in this conversation.
My problem is that the Mets take players that don’t seem high-end but are very, very raw early in the drafts. Wouldn’t Nimmo and Church been there a round or two later? The Mets passed on Austin Wilson but they need outfielders. With all the pitching in this organization, did we need to reach for a developmental player in the second round?