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2012 Mets Draft Scouting Report: RHP Tyler Vanderheiden

I have a fondness for true submariners, and 19th-round pick Tyler Vanderheiden certainly qualifies. Like most submariners, Vanderheiden doesn't have outstanding velocity, instead relying on the unorthodox arm angle and outstanding ball movement to get outs.

Vanderheiden, who stands a lanky 6 feet, 2 inches, only tops out at 90 miles per hour, but the delivery makes it very difficult for hitters to pick up on the ball, particularly righties. Furthermore, his heater has a lot of sink to it, so he could be a double play specialist as well as the sort of pitcher who can be relied upon to get tough righties out. He pairs the fastball with an inconsistent slider.

Normally, you look at submariners and sidearmers as low-upside pitchers with a higher probability of reaching the majors and a quicker path to the majors. Unfortunately, Vanderheiden still has a major hurdle to clear before we can tag him as a fast-mover. His command is pretty lousy. His walk rates were way too high throughout his college career, and he's pretty incapable of throwing his breaking ball for a strike. He'll need to work on this, otherwise he'll stall in the high minors.