Patrick
Copen

After a moderately successful sophomore season for the Herd (5.83 ERA, 65 SO, 63 IP) the 6-foot-6, 215-pounder returned to campus this fall and showed scouts a fastball up to 95 with good angle from three-quarter release point and solid feel for his slider. Although he’s still a bit of a work-in-progress and a draft wild card, the scouts who saw him good this fall love the potential and fell in love with his big upside.

Body Type: 6-foot, 185-pound lengthy frame.

Mechanical/Delivery Notes: Smooth arm action with efficient lower half. Ideal mechanics to continue developing with.

Fastball: 87-88mph. Live fastball. Flirting with a high spin rate close to 2300 rpm’s with high 90% efficiency.

Curveball: 75-77mph. 11/5 movement with 10” of vertical movement.

Changeup: 79-80mph. Enough to keep hitters off balance. 

Pitchability: In the zone some of the time with all three pitches but could locate on the corners better.

Additional Comments: High potential arm. 

Obvious upside on the mound at 6-foot-5 with a fastball up to 86 mph. Frame has a ton of room to support added strength.  Long lever type that gets down the mound well. Delivery requires some effort. Sat 85-86 mph with the heater that stays mostly true through the zone. Can see more in the tank once strength arrives. Breaking ball is tight with depth at 72-73 mph. Command was in/out through the outing to the spinner with decent sell.

6-foot-5, 185 pound right-hander works out of mid to high 3/4 arm slot. There is effort to delivery which he is able to repeat. Levers are long and arm action is loose. Copen hides ball well and high leg kick creates deception. Lower half mechanics are solid. He lands excessively closed with stride foot. Fastball sat 83-86 mph with substantial arm side run/sink. Curveball at 69-70 showed 11-5 shape with late break and moderate depth. Changeup at 65-71 was thrown with reasonable sell and poor command. Young pitcher presents as follow in Class of 2020 based on arm action, frame and developing velocity.

6-foot-6, 195-pound right-hander with a huge upside and frame. The shoe is size 17 and the frame can add additional to strength with maturation. The fastball bumped 87 mph with a downhill plane to it. The spin pitch sat at 74-75 mph with good tilt and depth to it. The changeup is 73-75 mph and a work in progress. Showed a split finger at 70 mph, solid sink to the pitch. The delivery is online with his feet and repeated. The slot is above ¾ and leverage to the pitches is trending well. The post foot is on top of the rubber, causing a little forward lean. The glove side is under control and he stays with his arm. The tracking of the front shoulder is done appropriately. Big time prospect in the 2020 class based off what I witnessed.

It was our first look at Copen and he proved to be a scholarship level arm that will be a high follow for college coaches. Uber projectable frame at 6-foot-5, 185-pounds with a high waist and broad shoulders. Fastball was up to 85 mph predominantly sitting 82-83 mph. Spins a tight, heavy breaking ball at 73-74 mph and also flashed a splitter that has some dive to it. Reminds me a bit delivery wise of Olentangy Liberty’s Jack Metzger. Although future looks brighter on the mound he also worked out as a position guy. A righty swinger that starts in a balanced setup. Very projectable, long levered frame. Uses a double tap for timing while keeping hands simple. Path is uphill with a balanced offering of strength and speed to hands. Lifts the ball naturally. Expect much more pop as he fills out that projectable frame. At third base he possesses the frame for the position. Moves well in and out of funnel with more athletic actions on the move. Ball skills stay to both sides.