2011 Indians Top 50 Prospects: #34 Clayton Cook

Clayton Cook - Right-handed Pitcher
Born: 07/23/1990 – Height: 6’3” – Weight: 175 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

(Photo: Tony Lastoria)

History: Cook was selected by the Indians in the 9th round of the 2008 Draft out of Amarillo High School (TX). He had committed to playing at Oklahoma, but he signed with the Indians quickly and agreed to a signing bonus just over $100,000. Prior to the All Star break he went 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA in 12 starts (60.0 IP, 60 H, 21 BB, 40 K), and then after the All Star break went 4-2 with a 2.62 ERA in 11 starts (58.1 IP, 49 H, 16 BB, 43 K). He finished 8^th in the Midwest League in ERA (3.35) and 9^th in WHIP (1.23).

Strengths: Cook throws a three pitch mix of a fastball, curveball, and changeup and can throw all three for strikes. His 91-93 MPH four-seam fastball gets good movement and he commands it well to both sides of the plate. His long frame and age combined with good arm action have allowed him to increase his velocity as he has matured, and there is still some potential for more. His curveball has become a solid offspeed pitch for him, and his changeup is an average offering. The Indians had him add a two-seam fastball to his arsenal last year, a pitch he struggled with in the early going, but a pitch that he gained more confidence and feel for as the year wore on and was able to throw it more consistently for strikes.

Cook really worked hard last offseason to come into the 2010 season in the best shape of his young career. The strength gained from the combination of his workouts and him continuing to mature resulted in a spike in his velocity. He pitches well beyond his years with composure and maturity not often found in a pitcher his age, and is a performer who continues to put up good numbers year after year. He has a lot of confidence and is not afraid to go right after hitters. He is a hard worker and a professional who comes to the field every day with a determination to improve and make himself a better pitcher.

Opportunities: Cook has a good delivery, but he worked last season on keeping his hands moving in his windup. Early last season he got into a bad habit of stopping his hands which would cause his arm to drag and be late, which resulted in a lot of balls being left up in the zone. To counter the problem, the Indians worked with him to keep his hands moving so he is more out front, and the results were promising but he is still not all the way there. His curveball can get loopy at times, so he needs to make sure he does not get his arm too close to his head and keeps it in rhythm in order to get sharper break with it. He needs to throw it a little bit harder and throw it more consistently for strikes.  His pitching mechanics need refining, and he needs to learn to trust his stuff better. He is still learning how to pitch and needs to pick up some of the nuances with how to better attack hitters. He had some tightness in his shoulder which cropped up in his start on August 18^th which resulted in him having to be removed after two innings. The injury was not considered serious and as a precaution the Indians shut him down for the rest of the season, but it is something to monitor going forward.

Outlook: Cook has now had three straight outstanding statistical seasons to start his career, and with some projection still left in him he is starting to look like one of the best hidden gems the Indians unearthed from the 2008 Draft. Because he signed at such a young age he has often been one of the youngest players in the league he has played in the past three years, but has more than held his own. He has made a lot of strides in his first three years with the Indians, and is one of their better young pitching prospects in the system. He should open the 2011 season at High-A Kinston, though because of some starting depth in the upper levels he could open the season at Low-A Lake County and then join Kinston a month or two into the season.

Year	Age	Team	Lvl	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	SO	AVG	BB/9	K/9	WHIP
2008	17	GCL Indians	R	1	2	2.52	11	6	25.0	20	7	2	8	26	.217	2.9	9.4	1.12
2009	18	Mahoning Valley	A-	5	3	2.79	14	14	67.2	55	21	2	26	64	.224	3.5	8.5	1.20
2010	19	Lake County	A	6	7	3.35	23	23	118.1	109	44	7	37	83	.244	2.8	6.3	1.23
		MiLB Totals		12	12	3.07	48	43	211.0	184	72	11	71	173	.234	3.0	7.4	1.21

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