November 11, 2008

 

Throws: Right
Height/Weight: 6'1''/170
Birthday: 12/14/1988 (Age 19) 
Roster Status: Rule V Eligible after 2011 season; Minor League Free Agent after 2013

Background: Michael Main has one of the best baseball pedigrees of anyone in the Rangers' organization. Drafted 24th overall in 2007's amateur draft out of DeLand High School in Florida, Main had been on pro scouting reports for years. Tabbed Baseball America's top 15-year-old in America in 2004, Main stayed on the minds of scouts throughout his high school career. After spectacular freshman and sophomore years, Main developed tendinitis in his rotator cuff his junior year, which almost cost him that entire campaign. Considering the junior year is what gets most prep stars paid, there was thought that Main had lost his chance at a first-round selection in 2007. However, by the end of his junior year, he was back and led his school to the state final four in a competitive baseball state. He participated in both the AFLAC All-American and Perfect Game showcases the following summer, and despite some rough showings (results, not stuff) virtually secured himself a first-round spot with a solid senior year. Main's senior season saw him stay fairly high on all draft boards, as he once again led DeLand to the state final four. Most scouts considered Main to be among the elite, if not the best, high school pitchers in the 2007 draft. However, he also profiled very well as a speedy outfielder, and he could have been developed along that route sucessfully, too. Considering all of Main's pluses, it is still surprising that he fell to 24 on draft day, but the Rangers scooped him up and signed him quickly as their second first-round pick.

Pitches: Main has a three-pitch arsenal that has seen quick improvement since turning pro. His strongest pitch has to be his fastball, which sits anywhere from 92 to 96. He went through the usual fastball decline this season, a combination of it being his first full year in the pros and the injury he had in the Spring, but he re-gained his velocity late, and registered mainly in the low- to mid-90s this fall. He changes the speed on his fastball regularly, usually to keep hitters off-balance. He knows when to bring his hardest stuff, but he also knows that the usual payment for better velocity is a lack of command, a good combination of knowledge in a young pitcher. When he commands his fastball, which is most of the time, it is a true plus pitch with adequate movement. His strongest secondary pitch is his curveball, a mid- to upper-70s pitch with tight spin and decent command, has the potential to be a plus Major League pitch, though it is still in development as of now. He's not afraid to throw it, but there's still room for it to grow. His final pitch is his developing changeup, a pitch he started really working on when he joined the organization. It generally sits in the low-80s with adequate deception, though it is his weakest pitch. He keeps his arm movement fairly consistent, and with time it could become a decent Major League offering. Overall, Main's pitches have the potential to play out extremely well over time, especially if his secondary pitches develop according to plan.

Professional Experience: Main began his pro career with the Rangers in an odd fashion. After signing, he was sent to the Arizona Rookie League where he was pegged to rest his arm for a short time. In order to see what they had, the Rangers also had him DH during his rest period. Main went on to go 8 for 30 in his short assignment, hitting a double and stealing 3 bases in 8 games. I'm not so sure why they even let Main steal bases because of the risk, but he showed off his plus speed. After the rest, Main moved into the rotation in Surprise, throwing 5 controlled starts. It was obvious that the Rangers were being cautious with Main, as he totaled only 12.2 innings over these starts, allowing only 2 earned runs and striking out 16. He had a slight control problem, but it was probably due to the rust. The Rangers then decided to challenge Main with competition that was most 3-4 years older than him in the Northwest League. For Spokane, he once again threw 5 controlled starts, totaling 15.1 innings, allowing 11 runs (8 earned) and striking out 18. In general, he was fairly unlucky with Spokane, and the control problems again cropped up, as he walked 7 batters and hit 2 more, a far cry from the polished control shown in high school. However, his debut was rated very highly, and most publications thought Main to be one of the best pitchers out of the 2007 draft after the end of season. Main entered 2008 poised to have a strong first full pro season.

2008 Season: Main's 2008 was highly anticipated by many Ranger fans. However, it was somewhat derailed before it ever started. In early March, Main developed stress fractures in a pair of his right ribs and was shut down for a couple of months. The Rangers decided to keep Main in a controlled environment as he built his arm strength back up, and he didn't debut until he started the AZL Rangers' third game of the season. After 3 starts meant to build his endurance, Main was promoted to Clinton, his original destination with fellow 2007 first-rounder Blake Beavan had he been healthy out of Spring Training. Main's AZL line was 1-1 with 5 earned runs allowed in 13.1 innings, striking out 15. At Clinton, Main joined the rotation in time for 10 regular-season starts, compiling a 2-2 record with a 2.58 ERA in 45.1 innings. He struck out 50 batters, continuing his run of striking out over a batter per inning at each of his professional stops. His control was much improved from his 2007 debut, as he only walked 13 hitters and hit 4, in addition to 3 wild pitches. His success was really about his ability to keep hitters from hitting him hard, as he allowed only 4 home runs and less than a hit an inning. A strong playoff start and a very strong fall instructional league has led Main to climb prospect rankings, and his 2008 season has been seen more as a step forward than a season lost.

Future Outlook: Main's ceiling is that of an ace on almost any Major League staff. What it comes down to is how well he develops his secondary pitches. 2009 will be an important season for Main as he looks to stay healthy for a full campaign and develop his curve and changeup. Look for Main to join Bakersfield out of Spring Training, where he will head a rotation with Blake Beavan and possibly 2008 draftee Tim Murphy. If he stays healthy and has success keeping the ball down, Main might see Frisco in late-June or July. As for Main's complete future outlook, he's very likely to succeed due to his maturity, intellect, and pure stuff. I'd say he's in Arlington either in late-2010 or early-2011, and he'll be either an average ace or good #2 or #3 starter.

Written by Andy Seiler

Photo from flickr.com; Username chrishwish