MLB Draft Preview: RHP Jared Price

Noah Gross 2017 Draft Preview

Jared Price – RHP

Ht: 6’3″        Wt: 240        Year: R Sr.       Bats/Throws: R/R

Hometown (HS): Mohnton, Pa. (Twin Valley HS)

2017 Stats

G: 16  IP: 23.2    ERA: 3.04     K/9: 10.27       BB/9: 3.42     H/9: 8.75

Arsenal: Fastball (93-96), curveball, changeup, slider

Previously Drafted: 2012 – 33rd Round, 1010th Overall – New York Mets

Senior Jared Price pitches in relief. Hannah Evans/Maryland Baseball Network. 3/8/2017

Background: The longest-tenured Terp player, Jared Price has been on the Maryland roster since 2013. He pitched in 23 games his freshman season, the second most on the team. The big right-hander struggled at times, with an ERA near six and a WHIP over 1.60, but did whiff over 12 batters per nine innings. As a sophomore in 2014, Price made 19 appearances, but struggled to limit damage, with an ERA of 6.80 and a WHIP approaching two.  

He saw limited action in his junior season, making just 11 appearances spanning eight innings, and then saw his senior season in 2016 cut short by an injury after making just two appearances. The Pennsylvania native received a medical redshirt and was eligible to return for a fifth year in 2017.

Price made the most of that extra year of eligibility, and turned in his best collegiate season as a redshirt senior. He made 16 appearances, turning in a 3.04 ERA while striking out 27 batters in 23.2 frames.

Outlook: As a hard-throwing righty that was drafted out of high school, Price had high expectations coming into his time at Maryland. Injuries and ineffectiveness masked his potential for most of his college career, but after a strong 2017 campaign he put himself back on the map. Perhaps his biggest game as a Terp came in this year’s Big Ten Tournament against top-seeded Nebraska. In an elimination game, Price came in and tossed 4.2 innings, with five strikeouts and just one earned run, earning the win and keeping Maryland’s season alive.

Price has a heavy fastball that can reach the mid-to-upper 90’s. That, paired with his power curveball, is enough to attract teams, especially after he proved that he can mix his pitches effectively this season.

While he has the potential from a big right-hander that teams are looking for in the draft, some red flags hurt his stock. At 23, he is older than most of his contemporaries, and considering his injury history, some teams may shy away from him given the high risk. However, he is still likely to go in the middle to late rounds in the draft, given his “stuff” and his performance late in this season.