5/22/12: Alec Rash first appeared on the Perfect Game radar as a slender 6-foot-2, 165-pound Des Moines (Iowa) area sophomore throwing up to 87 mph in the 2009 Perfect Game Fall League. At that point Rash threw from an extended over the top release point with a hard downhill angle to the plate, and while he was a primary fastball pitcher, he’d mix in a very occasional downer curveball around 72 mph. Rash improved rapidly over the next eight months and topped out at 91 mph with an improved 75 mph curveball at a 2010 Perfect Game Junior National Showcase the following June. However, Rash moved to Alabama that summer to live with his mother and attended Pelham High School in suburban Birmingham as a junior. While in Alabama, Rash changed his arm action to a lower and tighter three-quarters release point that had more of an effect on his breaking ball than on his fastball, especially as Rash still had a relatively short stride out front and worked downhill with his fastball even with his new release point. He topped out at 92 mph with a more sweeping 78 slurve-type breaking ball at the 2011 Perfect Game National Showcase. Rash moved back to Iowa to live with his father for his senior year in 2011-2012 and filled out to a wiry strong 6-foot-5, 195-pounds. He has the type of frame that could put on a few more pounds as he matures, but Rash will likely always be tall and slender. Rash has taken the next step as a pitching prospect this spring to the point where he will probably be on teams' draft boards in the compensation to second round area, and has already established himself as Iowa’s top pitching prospect since Jeremy Hellickson, who somehow lasted until the fourth round of the 2005 draft. The most notable thing has been the jump in Rash’s velocity. He has been steadily pitching at 91-94 mph during PG Iowa Spring League games this spring and sat between 93-95 mph during the PG Pre-Draft Showcase before a huge crowd of scouts on May 14. Rash’s fastball not only has plus velocity but also shows plus late sink and bore when he gets it down in the strike zone. His very fast and compact arm stroke does a very good job hiding the ball from the hitter and might even add another effective mph or two to his velocity as hitters don’t pick up the ball well. Rash’s breaking ball has also evolved this spring. Back in March and April he was throwing a 78-81 mph slurve that was caught between a curveball and a slider and not succeeding at being either. Rash has made adjustments, however, and perhaps the most impressive part of his performance at the Pre-Draft Showcase was his 83-85 mph true slider, that flashed big depth at times, was a far superior pitch to what he was throwing earlier in the spring. Rash has definite changeup potential as well. He throws a very nice 81-83 mph change with plus sinking action during warm ups and bullpens, but tends to get a bit over-excited throwing it in games and overthrows it at 85-87 mph, throwing through the sink and deception area. But the pitch is there when he gets the repetitions and confidence to throw it with his established mechanics. One thing scouts may not fully recognize about Rash is just how good an athlete he is. This video shows some of the things that Rash can do on the basketball court; pay attention to the plays at the 3:48 and 4:13 marks. Yes, it’s Iowa high school basketball, but that’s still impressive athleticism on any court.

FTN wrote:cozens will probably sign for a little less than slot, rash a little more than slot. will even out.

roccom says:
June 5, 2012 at 11:57 AM (Edit)

The phillies will say we like his potential and checked out the incident, and are satisify that it was a one time thing, he is really a good kid, joke, wouldnt have touch any kid who hits his coach, let someone else handled that problem. and the reaching continues for this team. i like the first pick, but this pick makes no sense,

Last year if they had taken him in round 18 and paid him 800 k to sign you all would be like this is an amazing pick. They CANNOT do that this year, they took him now and will get him signed.

Trent Steele wrote:

Last year if they had taken him in round 18 and paid him 800 k to sign you all would be like this is an amazing pick. They CANNOT do that this year, they took him now and will get him signed.

Love this point

ReadingPhilly wrote:could see them taking tim cooney

Green certainly stands out on a baseball field. He has a pro-ready body at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds and has been bigger and stronger than his peers since he was 12-years-old. With his long arms, Green can get leverage in his swing and flashes above-average power potential. But he also has a tendency to get tied up and struggled at times catching up to average velocity on the showcase circuit last summer. There are a lot of moving parts to Green's swing and he's a streaky player--sometimes he'll look like a future star and other times he'll look lost at the plate. He plays shortstop now, but definitely projects to move to third base either at Oregon State or in pro ball, so how much he'll hit is a big deal since he'll be playing a corner position. Green is a fringe-average runner with above-average arm strength. Green is a gamer with a strong work ethic and shows good leadership on the field.

RichmondPhilsFan wrote:Looks like they got the Constanzo replacement!

phdave wrote:

RichmondPhilsFan wrote:Looks like they got the Constanzo replacement!

Wasn't Mike Schmidt originally a SS?

Dysentery!