9/1/09

Goodbye Kevin Mulvey and a mini-scouting report

Kevin Mulvey is the player to be named later in the Joh Rauch trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

I think that it is a good trade for the Twins, since Rauch is going to be with the team for 2010 and in December the Twins would have needed to keep Mulvey in the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. However there are not too many 40-many roster spots open and more than likely would have been occupied by other prospects, higher-rated than Mulvey, who also need protection. Thus, it is like losing Mulvey to the Rule 5 draft and signing Rauch as a free agent. Not bad.

Mulvey's career numbers in the minors are very ordinary: 3.54 ERA, 1.308 WHIP, 6.9 K/9 and 2.39 K/BB. This season, his second in AAA Rochester, Mulvery has regressed to: 3.93 ERA, 1.389 WHIP, 6.8 K/9 and 2.09 K/BB, which are all the way career lows at any level for the 24 year old RHP. You can read a 2007 scouting report on Mulvey here. The bottom line is: low 90s 2-seamer, slider and a curve, mixed with an occasional change up to the lefties. His fastball and slider have been considered plus pitches where his curve and changeup are works in process.

Mulvey could potentially be at the tail end of a major league rotation, however middle relief might be closer to his MLB ceiling.

Also, removing Mulvey from the 40-man roster, might allow someone like Danny Valencia to take his spot and contributing with the Twins this September