November 21, 2008

 

Throws: Right
Height/Weight: 6'7''/205
Birthday: 12/9/1985 (Age 22) 
Roster Status: Rule V Eligible after 2008 season; Minor League Free Agent after 2010 Season

Background: Michael Schlact came to the Rangers as their 3rd round pick in the 2004 amateur draft out of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia. He was a highly touted prep pitcher, mostly due to his size and stuff on the mound. His actual results were mixed, and there was a wide range of opinion regarding Schlact among the scouting community. Some scouts loved his size and ability, while others thought there wasn't much past his physical height. Regardless, Baseball America named him Georgia's 7th-best prospect entering the 2004 draft following a solid senior campaign that included being named an ABCA Region 3 All-American. He was committed to the University of South Carolina for college, but his commitment was seen as soft, an important factor in the drafting process. The Rangers nabbed him at 81st overall, and scout John Castleberry signed him within a month for $455,000.

Pitches: Schlact's arsenal has followed a consistent development program since he turned pro. The Rangers have thought of Schlact as a pure starter ever since they drafted him, so they've developed him along those lines, emphasizing secondary pitches. The main development program Schlact has followed up to this point is the development of a four-seam fastball to complement his two-seam sinker. His sinker, his primary pitch, usually sits somewhere in the upper-80s with heavy movement. As with most sinkerballers, there are times where he leaves it up, allowing some bad days to creep in. For the most part, however, it's his most consistent pitch, and is close to being Major League pitch. His newly-developed four-seam fastball usually is a few ticks faster than his two-seamer, sitting somwhere in the low-90s. The Rangers pushed him hard to use the four-seamer for a few years, but he has used it less lately. When I talked to him, he didn't even mention the four-seamer as one of his main options. It's more like something to pull out of his pocket when he needs a strikeout. Schlact's best true secondary pitch is his changeup, a pitch that is seen as about average for a AA starter. It still has some potential, so I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be an above-average pitch. Schlact's breaking ball is a slider which has been emphasized by the Ranger organization. For a year or so, Schlact was pushed to use mainly his four-seamer and slider in order to develop a true four-pitch arsenal. However, his slider is in need of some more developing. On good nights, he can really get hitters out with it, but it hasn't developed into the consistent pitch that he needs. Overall, Schlact's pitches are all still developing, and I'd give him time before deciding if his stuff will be considered good enough for the bigs.

Professional Experience: Schlact was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League following his late-June signing in 2004. Splitting time between the bullpen and rotation, Schlact showed his good stuff on the mound in his debut. In 30.2 innings, he finished with a 1-1 record and 3.52 ERA, striking out 22 and walking 9. He didn't blow many people away, but he was very solid, a characteristic the Rangers expected from him despite his lack of experience. The Rangers decided to challenge Schlact in his first full year of pro ball with an assignment to Clinton. Despite the challenging assignment, Schlact proved once again that his stuff and makeup were good enough to post solid numbers. He was healthy all season, starting 28 games without any problems. He threw 168.1 innings, very high for a first full season, but his final line was a 10-7 record with a 4.17 ERA, striking out 90 and walking 37. The Rangers were highly encouraged by his low walk rate, and his strikeouts were expected to come on over time. He allowed 10 home runs with Clinton, but on the whole the Rangers viewed his debut as a success. 2006 was an even more challenging year for Schlact. The Rangers decided to put the 20-year-old Schlact in the California League with Bakersfield, a daunting assignment regardless of age. He struggled most of the year with control issues, as the Rangers pushed development of his newer pitches. In 26 starts with the Blaze, Schlact finished at 4-13 with a 5.86 ERA in 138.1 innings, a testament to his health, but a highly disappointing season. He struck out 81, an improved rate from 2005, but he also walked 61, about double the rate of his 2005 season. Whenever control issues start to creep in the Cal League, it usually is followed by getting hit hard. This proved true as well, as Schlact allowed 178 hits, 15 of which were home runs. After a season like that, the Rangers decided to return Schlact to the Cal League for 2007, and he pitched most of the year there. In 21 starts, he did not improve very much. The Rangers continued to emphasize his newer pitches, and he finished with a record of 5-7 in 115.1 innings with a 5.77 ERA, not too much different from 2006. Both his walk and strikeout rates fell, but he was still hit very hard. The Rangers decided a change of scenery might help Schlact, so they promoted him late to Frisco, where he went 3-3 in 6 starts, posting a 5.08 ERA in 33.2 innings. He improved both his walk and strikeout rates over his Cal League numbers, so there was hope that he could carry that success into 2008.

2008 Season: Schlact returned to Frisco to begin the 2008 season. The good news is that he improved his full-season numbers from 2007. The bad news is that he battled small injuries and was inconsistent. Most of the year, up until the end of July, one never knew which Michael Schlact would be stepping on the mound. He could shut down offenses with his heavy sinker, or he could get rocked. Arm fatigue finally shut down Schlact after his July 27 start against San Antonio, a possible factor in his struggles to that point. He had put together a few strings of quality outings, but after a lengthy sub-par stint, it was decided he needed a short break. He returned to throw some of his best starts of the year, an encouraging sign. His final line at Frisco was 7-11 with a 5.23 ERA in 149.2 innings over 26 starts. He struck out only 71 and walked 66, allowing 172 hits and 12 home runs. These peripherals are highly disappointing, but there's hope he'll improve. On the whole, Schlact's 2008 season proved very little, but the good starts in late August show possible signs of improvement.

Future Outlook: Schlact is quickly coming up on the end of the road with the Texas organization. He's eligible for the Rule V draft for the first time this December, and it's highly likely no one will take a chance on him. He only has two years left before he's eligible for minor league free agency, so it's time for him to step forward. Up until this past year, most of his time in the organization has been spent on development rather than results. However, he's reached that point where he needs to put it all together. He needs his slider to become effective for him to become that quality sinker-slider pitcher. He showed signs of being able to do so late in the year, so let's hope he takes that step forward in 2009. There probably won't be any room in the rotation in Oklahoma City, so I have him slated to return to Frisco to begin the 2009 campaign. If he pitches well, he'll be a candidate to move up quickly. He's shown himself to be durable for the most part, so I don't think the Rangers are considering moving him to the bullpen anytime soon. I don't expect Schlact to ever really contribute at the Major League level, but I also think he has the talent to surprise me. If things fall in line, Schlact might be in line to finally secure a 40-man roster spot next offseason, though my final prediction is that he leaves via minor league free agency following the 2010 season.

Written by Andy Seiler

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