2010 Indians 5th Round Pick: RHP Cole Cook

In the 5th round of the 2010 Draft, the Indians select RHP Cole Cook out of Pepperdine University.

Height: 6'6 Weight: 210 DOB: 10/18/1988 Bats: Right Throws: Right

Signing Update (June 12): Cook has told me he will be signing with the Indians. He will be away for about two weeks for personal reasons, but upon returning is expected to quickly sign his contract. His signing should be made official near the end of the month.

Bio: Here is his bio on the Pepperdine University site.

Ranks:
Baseball America: 160
PGCrosschecker: 154

Quick Hit: Baseball America Twitter update right after the pick, "Tribe 5th-rounder, RHP Cole Cook, 6-6 eligible soph., sinker-changeup guy, gets on the side of his slider but commands the FB."

Director of Amateur Scouting Brad Grant's Take: "Cole Cook is another big right-hander with a sinker, slider and split who is a strike thrower."

Jeff Ellis: Cole Cook is a large 6’6” right handed pitcher. He was a 36th round selection by the Mariners in 2007. He throws from a low slot with his pitches. His fastball gets up to 94, but sits best at 89-91 and it has a solid sink to it. He has grown into his body some, but is still growing and could add more mass and muscle. Once he does bulk up this could cause that fastball to gain more MPH’s. He shows a nice slider and a change that is a work in progress. If you see tape of him you do worry about his delivery as it looks very violent and while it does help in deception it also makes you wonder when it will cause an injury. He does show very good signs of control with a 4:1 walk to strike out ratio this year. Cook is a pitcher who is interesting just based on his size and the fact he is still a bit raw. He fits the Tribe mold for pitchers since he does have a very nice sinking fastball that has the potential to possibly become a plus pitch once he does getter stronger.

Andrew Zajac: I'm very underwhelmed with the selection of Cole Cook. He projects as a #5 starter, at best, and as a middle reliever, at worst. Ideally, this isn't the kind of value you'd like to get in the fifth round. The thing about Cook is it's not a problem of his command, but rather, it's a Jeremy Sowers type problem that he throws too good of strikes. He's been very hittable this season giving up 50 hits in 45.2 innings. Opponents are hitting .284 against him. He needs to miss more bats and stop catching so much of the plate.

Cook can touch 93-94 mph, but usually sits more comfortably around 91-92 range. He also offers an average slider that is the main culprit of his struggles. When it's working, it can bite hitters' hands. When it is not, it stays up and doesn't change planes and gets hit. Maybe the Indians see something out of Cook I don't, but quite frankly, this pick leaves me scratching my head.

Jim Pete: Cook is a massive 6'6" and 210 pounds. You would expect a flamethrower from a guy with this size, but that's not what you get. He throws from a near sidearm delivery, has a good fastball with some movement, a nice change-up with the same delivery as his fastball, and a slurve that remains his most inconsistent pitch. Cook may be a bit of a reach in the fifth round, but may have slotted higher because of his size. Still, with only two pitches, and neither a plus pitch, major league hitters will sit on his 90-92 MPH fastball and time his changeup. If he can control that breaking pitch, he will be an effective middle rounder. I'll be curious to see if the Indians tinker with his delivery. Perhaps there is more velocity there with a more overhanded delivery.

Charlie Adams: Cole Cook is another WCC conference draftee, this time out of Pepperdine, and another advanced arm in a big body. He is not a fireballer, but he throws strikes and keeps the ball in the park, yielding only 3 home runs in 104 1/3 innings. Cook was drafted in the 36th round of the 2007 draft by the Seattle Mariners, but opted to attend Pepperdine instead.

Despite being 6’6” and being listed at 220 pounds, he doesn’t really bring the heat, but typically sits in the 90-92 range. He does compliment this with an effective splitter and seems to be torn on which off-speed pitch he wants to commit himself to. Right now he throws a true slider and a slurvy-breaking ball. His best pitch is his splitter and assuming he continues to work off the fastball-split combo, he would be better served to switch over to the slurve to separate the speeds a little better.

He has had success against some of the best college teams, including a 7-inning, 3ER, 9K outing against the powerhouse LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge. Look for Cole Cook to be right next to Kyle Blair in the developmental process as these advanced arms are tested to determine what role they will best serve the big league club, because you can rest assured that these guys will be knocking on the door in one form or another sooner rather than later.

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