Ian Anderson | RHP
Background
Anderson, 18, attends Shenendehowa High School up near Albany. He impressed with Team USA’s 18-and-under team last summer, but it wasn’t until this past weekend that he was able to pitch in an official game this spring. Poor weather, a bout with pneumonia, and a minor oblique problem delayed the start of Anderson’s season. He’s committed to Vanderbilt.
Scouting Report
Anderson is one of those high-upside prep arms who checks all the right boxes. He has size and a projectable frame (6-foot-3 and 180 lbs.), good velocity (sits 91-94 mph and has touched 96), an out pitch (power curveball), and enough command to pitch effectively on both sides of the plate. Anderson is very athletic with a smooth delivery, and because he has a high arm slot, the curve consistently drops off the table. His changeup lags as a third pitch, which isn’t uncommon for high schoolers. Anderson is bringing two above-average pitches to the table with the makings of a third pitch, an athletic delivery, and a projectable frame. That’s the good stuff right there.
Miscellany
Baseball America and MLB.com ranked Anderson as the 11th best prospect in the draft class in their latest rankings. Keith Law (subs. req’d) had him a bit lower at No. 14. The Yankees pick 18th. On merit, Anderson is a top ten caliber prospect, but the fact his season started so late means scouts don’t have much time to see him in action this spring. That’s good for the Yankees. Not many teams will be willing to use a top 10-15 pick on a kid they’ve only seen a handful of times. Anderson probably represents the best case scenario for the Yankees as a high-upside player who may slide due to extenuating circumstances. Whether they have the draft pool space to buy him away from Vanderbilt is another matter. That’s historically been a tough commitment to break.
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