39
 |
Votes |
Drafted: '05, 1st round (16 overall)
|
|---|---|---|
| 48 | ||
| Previous Rank | ||
| NA | ||
| ETA in Majors | ||
| 2008 |
The first of five pitchers the Marlins took before the second round of the 2005 draft, Volstad is right on track or ahead of it, reaching Double-A by age 20. With a heavy sinking fastball in the low 90s, Volstad throws a lot of strikes and induces a ton of ground balls. He's got an outstanding curve and changeup to go along with the heater.
Volstad is still learning the nuances of pitching and gave up too many hits in 2007. But he rose to the challenge of a promotion to Double-A. At 6-foot-7 and just 21 years old, some think he may add velocity to his fastball as he matures. He may start the year back with Carolina, but at the rate he's going, don't expect him to stay there long.