Chicago Cubs Top Ten Prospects for 2017

10. Thomas Hatch, RHP

Birthdate: 9/29/94 (22 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: None
Stats in 2016: Did not play in the minor leagues in 2016

Those who follow college baseball were hearing a lot about Hatch this spring. He was the ace of an Oklahoma State team that made a surprising run in the College World Series based largely on his right arm.

After missing all of 2015 with an injury to his elbow that he spent the season caring for and rehabbing, Hatch returned to the mound as a redshirt sophomore in 2016, throwing 130 1/3 innings with a 2.14 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. He used his heavy fastball to suppress homers, allowing only 2 in his 19 starts.

(Hatch) throws from a low 3/4 arm angle, but he gets on top of the ball from that arm slot

Hatch doesn’t have a dominant pitch that would lead to a load of strikeouts, but he has a heavy fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 96 along with a slider that has excellent late break, moving it off of the best part of the bat, though not usually missing bats.

Hatch has an unusual arm slot. He throws from a low 3/4 arm angle, but he gets on top of the ball from that arm slot, making it tough for hitters to pick up the ball. For such a difficult arm angle, Hatch seems to have great control.

The Cubs wisely let Hatch rest his arm after 130 innings for OSU just a year removed from elbow injury, but he’ll likely make his debut next season, probably at the short-season A-ball level or the low-A level.

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