Written by Greg Fertel | 05 June 2008

The Yankees picked up a high-ceiling young pitcher in Marshall, a 6'0" 195 pound righty from Texas. He showed a huge jump in velocity between last season and this one, bringing his fastball up to the 94-96 range (as opposed to the high 80's last season). He complements this pitch with a plus slider that he throws in the mid-high 80's. He throws a changeup, but it is below-average at present. While Marshall's stuff is great, he is raw mechanically with inconsistent control, which makes sense given that he is very new to pitching. He is somewhat short at 6'0", which is part of the reason why a pitcher with his stuff was available in the 6th round. He is the type of high-risk high-reward prospect that the Yankees should draft, and while he might require some time in the minors to improve his mechanics and control, he could be a very effective starter with his two plus pitches, or at least a good reliever. I'm a big fan of this pick.  He has a scholarship to Rice, and will likely require close to 1 millon dollars to sign.

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