Late Round Steal

Here is the first of two posts based on content from BaseballAmerica.com.

This one is about an ex-Rattler who is considered to be a late round steal by the people at BA.

Shawn Kelley, rhp, Mariners: The Mariners farm system is a tad light on pitching, particularly in arms acquired in the draft (though having Chris Tillman back would beef up that contingent). Kelley, a 13th-round pick from Austin Peay State in 2007, might be the team’s best pitching prospect in the upper minors, even though he is a reliever. Kelley, who will be 24 in April, joined Double-A West Tenn in June and finished the year there with a 2.11 ERA in 42 2/3 innings, 44 strikeouts and 13 unintentional walks. After the regular season, Kelley went to Venezuela for winter ball and racked up a nasty 21-2 K-BB ratio for Lara in 14 2/3 innings with a 3.68 ERA. The deception in Kelley’s delivery makes his stuff play up, but his low-90s fastball that touches 94 and hard slider give him two legitimate weapons to retire big league hitters. He should soon fit into the Mariners’ bullpen mix, perhaps as early as this season.

Let's go Peay!

Plus, gotta love the gratuitous Tillman reference from BA. Also, is 13th considered a late round? I mean, there are 50 rounds in the draft.

The second in the series is next.