2016 Mets draft profile: RHP Christian James

Name: Christian James
Born: Tampa, Florida
Age: 18 ( 5/24/98)
Height/Weight: 6'4"/195 lbs
Position: RHP
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: East Lake High School (Tarpon Springs, Florida)

One of the more celebrated high school pitchers in Florida, Christian James has dominated for his high school team and his summer exhibition team for years now. Pitching as both a starter and a reliever, the young right-hander is known for his ability to just flat-out pitch, outclassing older hitters. James has a commitment to Florida International University.

The youngster throws from a low 3/4 arm slot, turning his back to the hitter during his delivery and showing them his numbers. During his delivery, James lifts his pitching elbow above his shoulders, producing an 'inverted L.' While that is not a problem in and of itself, as has been the case with many pitchers in the major and minor leagues, it can cause mechanical timing issues that lead to stress on the elbow and the shoulder, increasing the likelihood of injury to those body parts.

James has primarily gotten by as a "power pitcher," relying primarily on his fastball, which sits in the high 80s/low 90s, and has topped out as high as 94 MPH. At 6'4", 195 pounds, James still has some physical projectability left, and should add some additional velocity to the pitch. He complements his fastball with a various developing secondary pitches: a loopy curveball thrown in the high-60s, a sharper slider thrown in the high-70s, and a changeup.