Prospect Profile: - #4 - SP - Matt Harvey

4. Matt Harvey:


North Carolina – 6-4, 230 - … was 3rd round pick by the Angels out of high school and turned down a $1mil offer. Low-90s fastball that touches 95. Excellent curveball… average changeup… comes from ¾ arm slot… changeup 78-81… breaking ball 76-79… works quickly from stretch… 2009: 7-2, 5.35, 78K, 70.2 IP… BA ranks him as the #1 sophomore of the 2009 season…



7/07 fr. http://www.projectprospect.com/ : - A first round talent out of high school in 2007, Harvey slipped to the fourth round due to bonus demands. While his time at North Carolina has been a bit rocky, Harvey still has good stuff and struck out 81 batters in 75 innings last spring. Harvey’s fastball sits in the low 90’s with some sink, and is complimented by a potentially plus breaking ball and changeup. If Harvey can show some improved command this spring, he walked 11.9% of batters last spring, he still has as much upside as any pitcher in this class.



8-1: from http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/ : put on some weight this year and arm angle dropped a bit, most fb were very straight during CWS, velocity still solid abv ave range 89-94 will touch 95-96 on occasion. Must work with finger pressure and get more movement on his fb for 2010. Solid slide piece when on top. Control is solid as well.


8-2: from 6-16 article http://www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ : Harvey turned down $1 million from the Angels as a third-round pick out of high school, and the Connecticut product is pitching in his second straight CWS with the Tar Heels. He'll become the undisputed staff ace next year when White and senior Adam Warren (a fourth-round pick of the Yankees this year) move on, using a low-90s fastball that reaches 95 at times and a true hammer curveball that is his best pitch. Harvey can lose control of the strike zone due to a long arm action and some effort in his delivery, so he's not a finished product. But he was the best pitching prospect in the Cape last summer and may be again in 2009.



9-24: From: http://mlbresource.blogspot.com/ : Mock Draft Version 1.0 – 8th pick overall - 8. Matt Harvey, RHP - North Carolina



9-28: From http://mlbresource.blogspot.com/ : - Mock Draft Version 2 - #15 pick overall - Matt Harvey, RHP - North Carolina - North Carolina seems to breed first round pitching and out comes another. Harvey has been higher on other boards and even my previous one but a shaky 5.40 ERA last year will need to be improved on. Stats do not tell the whole story as this is a polished righty with a chance to be a quality big league starter.


10-5 from http://baseballdraftreport.com/ : - top 50 prospects in 2010 draft – #18 – Matt Harvey (11th RHP on list)


11-2 from http://www.perfectgame.com/ : - Future Scout Sully said: Here is my list of the Top 50 in the class. I have seen almost every one of these players. Went out to AFLAC for the week, saw team usa play, and went to many cape games: - 8- RHP Matt Harvey (5th RHP on list)


11-3 from http://www.mlbresource.com/ : 3rd Mock draft – #16 - Matt Harvey, RHP - North Carolina - Harvey gives the Cubs an experienced big game pitcher that comes from a school known for developing quality pitchers. Harvey could go even higher than this. (8th RHP on list)


11-17 from http://www.mlbdraft.blogspot.com/ : - 13. Chicago White Sox- Matt Harvey, RHP, UNC - Harvey was viewed as a top 5 pick, if not the top pick in the draft for quite some time. That was before Harper entered the draft, and before Harvey has a disapointing season at UNC. If Harvey bounces back to form, he could find himself near the top of the draft again. (6th RHP picked)


11-18 from http://www.macksmets.blogspot.com/ : - 8. RHP Matt Harvey – a weak draft means lots of right hand pitchers taken early and Harvey will be one of the first ones grabbed. (4th RHP on list)


11-23 from http://www.deepleagues.com/ : - #19 - Detroit Tigers Matt Harvey (P, North Carolina) (8th RHP on list)



2010 MLB DRAFT MOCK DRAFT- 12/31/09 – http://www.jjscouting.com/  - 13. Chicago White Sox- Matt Harvey, RHP, UNC - Harvey was viewed as a top 5 pick, if not the top pick in the draft for quite some time. That was before Harper entered the draft, and before Harvey has a disapointing season at UNC. If Harvey bounces back to form, he could find himself near the top of the draft again.

1-1-9 from http://www.draftsite.com/ : - mock draft: - #55 NY Mets Matt Harvey RHP University of North Carolina 6'4" 225 R,R


1-15-9 from http://baseballdraftreport.com/ : - #28 Los Angeles Dodgers: RHSP Matt Harvey – North Carolina - After Harvey’s hot start last season, I wrote the following on March 1, 2009:


[W]hat is the likelihood, if it exists at all, that Matt Harvey reaches the same level of hype other elite college pitchers (Strasburg, Price, and Prior, to name a few) had heading into his draft year? Uhh, I’m going to have to go out on a limb here and say that the likelihood isn’t all that good. Controversial answer, I know. It’s probably weird having Matt Harvey in the first round at this point, but, if anything, I actually feel weird about having him this low. A really, really good rule to follow when tracking draft prospects is to remember that once a player shows you a skill, it is his to own. There are obvious exceptions to this, major injuries being the most obvious, but good players just don’t plain forget how to do good things on the field. Elite prospects who don’t sign out of high school tend not to drop too far after three years of college, even if those three years are so-so. The most recent reports on Harvey have been largely positive: 90-93 sitting velocity with fastball, 94-95 peak velocity, plus 77-80 CB, and a solid sinking low-80s change. The biggest problem with Harvey’s game seems to be his bizarre velocity inconsistency with his fastball. One day you’ll see him pitching in the mid-90s, the next he’ll be down to maxing out at 86 (86!), and then he’ll be back up to sitting 88-90, but still not hitting 96 like before…until the next time out when he suddenly has regained those lost 10 MPH on the fastball. What the heck is that? It’s not even a start-to-start phenomenom, either; Harvey has experienced sudden velocities dips and gains in-game as well. I have no idea what to make of Harvey. If the right scouting director sees him on the right day, he’ll go high. If not, he’ll be lumped in with the rest of the college guys who project as relievers hoping to get a spot in the first five rounds. I like the idea of the Dodgers taking Harvey one pick before the Angels, the team that couldn’t get him signed back in 2007. I wonder what Harvey’s career would have looked like so far if he would have signed out of high school. He’s a prime candidate for an Alternate Reality Crystal Ball…


3-10 from XMLBScout/perfectgame.com : - Also in regards to Matt Harvey, his delivery is cleaner than last summer yes and last spring, yes, but still the same kid with a much better breaking ball. He might be best suited as a closer in the big leagues also John Smoltz or Steve Bedrosian, I don't think he has 5 plus inning in him every 4 days and be consistent, but who knows once he's in pro ball. Top 50 guy for sure.


3-16 from http://www.prospectjunkies.com/ : - Matt Harvey - RHP - UNC. 5IP 7H 3ER 4BB 3K (W). Line looks closer to the 09 Harvey in a NC win v. Duke.:


3-24 from: http://pnrscouting.com/articles_stockwatch_2010class_10onthrerise_03232010.html  - Stock Watch: Ten on the Rise (2010 Draft Class) - Matt Harvey, RHP, Univ. of North Carolina (#56 on PnR Preseason Top 300): After strong reports came out of fall practice in Chapel Hill, PnR was comfortable placing Harvey comfortably in the second round for our preseason rankings -- his pure stuff is special and easily worthy of 1st round consideration if he's performing at his best. Consistency has been the issue throughout Harvey's time at UNC, but if the first month of the 2010 is any indication of things to come he may have finally shaken that monkey off of his back. Harvey has posted a fine line of 5 GS, 32 IP, 20 H, 7 ER, 14 BB and 37 SO while showing potential front-end stuff, including a low- to mid-90s fastball, a potential plus breaking ball and a change-up he has been throwing with increasing success. Harvey can continue to win over supporters the more consistency he shows, and could be a 1st round -- maybe early 1st round -- selection come June.

4-7 from: http://www.baseballrumormill.com/2010/04/2010-draft-preview-matt-harvey-rising-kyle-blair-falling/#more  - Matt Harvey, UNC, RHP: The North Carolina product has improved his deliver which has resulted in high velocity in his fastball, up to 97 so far this season. Although he continues to struggle with his command, he continues to induce almost 80% of balls put in play on the ground. He seems likely to be a first round draft pick.


4-13 from: - http://perfectgame.atinfopop.com/4/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=114295945&f=6174069131&m=4361060202  - Also in regards to Matt Harvey, his delivery is cleaner than last summer yes and last spring, yes, but still the same kid with a much better breaking ball. He might be best suited as a closer in the big leagues also John Smoltz or Steve Bedrosian, I don't think he has 5 plus inning in him every 4 days and be consistent, but who knows once he's in pro ball. Top 50 guy for sure.


4-19 from: - http://www.baseballrumormill.com/  - Harvey has bounced back from two awful years in college to reestablish himself as a prospect for this year's draft, with a significant and unexpected increase in velocity this spring and an improved delivery. One major change in Harvey's performance this year is in his ability to get groundballs, as he's getting on top of his fastball and driving many of them down at or below the bottom of the zone.


4-19 from: - http://www.pnrscouting.com/rankings_2010_midseason_pitcher.html  - Matt Harvey, Junior, Univ. of North Carolina and Brandon Workman, Junior, Univ. of Texas jumped into the back-end of the Top 10, Harvey all the way from a preseason ranking of #27. Each has struggled some with his command (Harvey to a greater extent than Workman), but have enjoyed a successful first half to the year and project as legit 1st Round talents.


4-20 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/4/20/1433135/interesting-college-pitchers-for  - RHP, University of North Carolina - An unsigned third round pick in the 2007 draft, Harvey has been erratic in college, outstanding at times but hampered by command issues. At his best, the 6-4, 225 pounder features a mid-90s fastball, a nasty curve, and a solid changeup. However, problems with his mechanics were an issue last summer in the Cape Cod League, costing him velocity and control. He's been much better this spring, with a 2.59 ERA and a 60/26 K/BB in 59 innings, with 44 hits allowed, showing a more consistent delivery and better stuff (96-98), though his control still wobbles on occasion. Harvey is a definite wild card on draft day. Depending on his bonus demands and late May performance, he could go anywhere from 15 to 40.


4-24 from: - http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/baseball/news;_ylt=AjpEcNS8dq_g39RRWsAapfgMwLYF?slug=kr-friday042410  - He also was one of the biggest question marks before the season. Harvey, who turned down big-time money out of high school to attend North Carolina, had a fabulous freshman campaign that ended with a 2.79 ERA. But as a sophomore last season, the right-hander certainly left something to be desired with a 5.40 ERA. Numerous meltdowns last season led to a plethora of question marks about Harvey’s ability to be the Tar Heels’ staff ace this spring. Consider those questions answered, though. Harvey is having a sensational campaign for the Tar Heels. And after striking out 15 batters and allowing just three runs on six hits in a complete game performance against Clemson on Friday, his numbers became even more impressive. Harvey has a 2.65 ERA in 68 innings of work. He also has struck out 75 and walked 27 and is limiting opposing teams to a .202 batting average in 10 starts.


4-26 from: - http://thecollegebaseballblog.com/2010/04/26/acc-baseball-weekly-honors  - North Carolina’s Matt Harvey received ACC Pitcher of the Week honors. Harvey (5-2) threw his first career complete-game with a six hitter with a career-best 15 strikeouts to lead North Carolina over No. 20 Clemson 5-3 Friday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Harvey struck out the side three times, including six punch-outs in a row in the sixth and seventh innings, and now has fanned the side nine different times this season. The junior caught nine Clemson batters looking at a called third strike and fell just four strikeouts shy of the single-game school record of 19. Harvey eclipsed his previous career-high of 13 strikeouts and now has posted four double-digit strikeout games this season. Harvey, a junior from Mystic, Conn., was also named a National Pitcher of the Week by Collegiate Baseball.


4-28 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/04/28/lincolns-2010-draft-board  - Matt Harvey has been known to draftniks for a long time. Heralded as neck-and-neck with Rick Porcello out of high school by some, Harvey has been up-and-down during his time at the University of North Carolina. Fortunately for Harvey, this spring has mostly been up. Control has been a problem at times during his collegiate career but this spring he’s walked 9.8% of the batters, a number that will need to come down as a professional but it’s not a terrible figure. Harvey’s mediocre control is offset by a lot of strikeouts, 28.3% of batters this spring including 15 in his last outing versus a very good Clemson squad. Harvey’s fastball has shown impressive velocity, touching 96-97 MPH late in starts and excellent sink, 69% of his batted ball outs have come on the ground. In high school, Harvey’s main breaking ball was a plus curveball; in college he’s spent more time toying with a slider that flashes plus but is still inconsistent. While he may not go as high as some though he deserved out of high school, Harvey still looks like a solid first round pick.


5-1 from: - http://projectprospect.com/article/2010/04/28/lincolns-2010-draft-board  - Matt Harvey has been known to draftniks for a long time. Heralded as neck-and-neck with Rick Porcello out of high school by some, Harvey has been up-and-down during his time at the University of North Carolina. Fortunately for Harvey, this spring has mostly been up. Control has been a problem at times during his collegiate career but this spring he’s walked 9.8% of the batters, a number that will need to come down as a professional but it’s not a terrible figure. Harvey’s mediocre control is offset by a lot of strikeouts, 28.3% of batters this spring including 15 in his last outing versus a very good Clemson squad. Harvey’s fastball has shown impressive velocity, touching 96-97 MPH late in starts and excellent sink, 69% of his batted ball outs have come on the ground. In high school, Harvey’s main breaking ball was a plus curveball; in college he’s spent more time toying with a slider that flashes plus but is still inconsistent. While he may not go as high as some though he deserved out of high school, Harvey still looks like a solid first round pick.


5-17 from: - http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/MLB_Draft/entry/view/66255/stock_watch_harvey_up,_colon_down#page_break  - On the season, Harvey is 6-3 with a 2.72 ERA, striking out 86 in 82 innings pitched. The 30 walks is still a concern, and some scouts believe Harvey might find more success as a power reliever, with velocity that sits easily in the 96-97 mph range. His slider has progressed from a hard curve he used to throw and is considered above average. Those two pitches alone, along with a clean delivery and strong arm have people thinking Harvey could pitch fast if he were drafted as late-inning reliever, eventually moving into a closer's role. At 6-4 and 225 pounds, he fits the bill.



From: - http://www.scoutingbook.com/players/p2682  - The seventh overall pick in the 2010 draft, Matt Harvey is a tall righthander from Mystic, Connecticut who pitched his college ball at UNC, where a few tweaks to his high-school delivery paid off with extra cheese on his fastball. He can dial that smooth, easy heat up to 98mph and has a propensity for throwing ground balls. His command is spotty, but nothing out of the norm for such a young, high-upside arm. He should move quickly through a pitching-poor Mets system.


From: http://www.baseballrumormill.com/ : - "With a good arm, nice and easy delivery, projectable frame and the possibility to have a three-pitch mix (right now, the changeup lags behind the other two). He'll need some refinement with his delivery, but has a very high ceiling."


From Keith Law: - Harvey has bounced back from two awful years in college to reestablish himself as a prospect for this year's draft, with a significant and unexpected increase in velocity this spring and an improved delivery. He's touched 97 in several starts and will hold 95-96 for 30-40 pitches at the start of a game, then working at 91-94 through the 100 pitch mark. His best off speed pitch is a 79-84 mph changeup with some downward fade, but his curveball, his best off speed pitch in high school, is below average now and very inconsistent. Harvey drives his fastball down in the zone, getting groundballs at an impressive rate, but overall doesn't command the ball, and in many ways he's the same pitcher he was the last two years, but with more velocity. His arm is looser and much cleaner in the back than it had been prior to this year, although he still lands awkwardly and stiffly and the way he drifts off the rubber isn't helping him land consistently. Ultimately, his best role may be in the pen, where he won't have to deal with losing velocity (and could easily sit 95-97), he can work with just two pitches, and the lack of command could be mitigated by the quality of his stuff. If he's drafted as a starter, some player development staff will have a fair amount of work to do to get him to reach his potential in that role.


From John Manuel: - The Mets get more talent one spot behind the Diamondbacks, taking North Carolina right-hander Matt Harvey. The Nutmeg State product fits the Mets profile. Rudy Terrasas, the Mets' scouting director, likes his pitchers big, physical and throwing hard, and that's what Harvey does. He also has the power slider and improved control to be a front-of-the-rotation starter if it all comes together. Harvey's the best pitcher the Mets have drafted since Mike Pelfrey in 2005.


From: http://www.rotoworld.com/ : - "Harvey probably would have been a first-round pick in 2007 if not for some big-time bonus demands. He rejected an offer from the Angels and went to North Carolina, where he struggled for two years before pushing his stock back up this season. Harvey can throw in the mid-90s, but his curveball comes and goes. The Mets figure to keep him in the rotation, but he’s more likely to make it in the majors as a short reliever than as a starter."


From: - http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/6/7/15  ... harvey-rhp - Matt Harvey is a top-level right-handed starting pitcher from the University of North Carolina. Harvey attended high school at Fitch High School in Groton, Connecticut, near the Rhode Island border. He was teammates with fellow 2010 draft prospect Jesse Hahn, though Harvey has been on the national stage far longer. He was known as one of the top arms for the 2007 draft for quite awhile before the draft even rolled around, and it was surprising when he fell all the way to the third round, where the Angels made a run at signing him, only to fail at doing so. He headed to North Carolina thanks to adviser Scott Boras, and after a rocky couple of years to start there, he’s really started fulfilling his potential this spring. Scouts still point to his awful mechanics last year, but he’s improved so much that it seems to be a dead issue, and he projects as a number two starter if things come together exactly right. His fastball is an easy plus pitch, getting some plus-plus grades, as he sits 92-95 most nights and can pump it up to 97, and he holds velocity deep into games, even when asked to throw absurd numbers of pitches. His breaking ball is a potential plus slider, which is distinctly different from the curveball he threw as a prep, which has gone by the wayside. His changeup is only a fringe-average pitch, but he gets by with his two plus pitches with ease. Even with Scott Boras still as his adviser, he’s expected to go in the top twenty picks, and he should command something around $2 million.


6-10-10: - http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=11141  - Matt Harvey, RHP, North Carolina - Inside the Pick: After looking at college hitters throughout the spring, the Mets soured on the price tags of Zach Cox and Yasmani Grandal, while feeling that high school catcher Justin O'Conner just wasn't good enough to be taken this high. While Harvey doesn't have the consistency of some other college arms, he certainly has the upside. What He is: A pure power pitcher with a big frame and the ability to not only eat innings, but dominate late in games. His low-to-mid-90s fastball touched 96-97 mph on occasion this spring, and his slider is a plus offering that he throws with confidence at any point in the count. What He is Not: A guy many teams trust. His first two years at North Carolina were dogged by inconsistency in stuff, performance, command, and mechanics, and many teams couldn't put him high on their list after recalling his nightmarish showing in the Cape Cod League last summer. He's been awfully good this year, but there's a fear that he's could regress at any moment. Path with the Mets: Barring a step in the wrong direction, Harvey could move relatively quickly. As a Scott Boras client, don't expect a quick sign, but he should start 2011 at High-A


6-12-10 from: - http://baseballbeginnings.com/2010/06/12/matt-harvey-video/#more-7772  - The Mets selection of North Carolina right-hander Matt Harvey with the seventh pick in the 2010 draft reminds me a great deal of the club’s selection of Wichita State right-hander Mike Pelfrey in 2005. I had a very brief look at Harvey on the Cape in 2009, and Harvey’s college career had its ups and downs. He’s similar to Pelfrey in body size and stuff, but in both cases, I think it’s fair to expect some growing pains with Harvey, just as Pelfry encountered. It doesn’t mean I don’t think that Harvey will not become a Major League contributor. I see no reason why he should not. But I think that Harvey, like Pelfry out of college, is a thrower more than a pitcher. Big college arms with big stuff but fringe fastball command and inconsistent secondary pitches often don’t ride the fast track as expected. Their arm strength might get them to the majors in short order and without a challenge. However nothing can teach a young, headstrong power arm about the value of pitch-ability like major league hitters. I expect some success for Harvey, but some bumps before he gets there. How he responds to the adversity will surely influence how successful he is and for how long at the Major League level.


6-14-10 from: - http://www.minorleagueball.com/2010/6/13/1516247/new-york-mets-draft-review  - Matt Harvey, RHP, University of North Carolina: He's got a great arm, no question, but doubts about his mechanical consistency and his command make him (in my opinion) a bit of a stretch at seventh overall, especially since he's likely to want overslot money. That said, he does have a very high upside if he can keep his delivery in gear.


7-28 from: - http://www.amazinavenue.com/2010/7/28/1592006/mets-farm-q-a-with-baseball  - My sense was that of all the guys on the board, the Mets liked Arkansas third baseman Zack Cox the best, but his extra leverage as a sophomore-eligible and his high asking price scared them off. That said, Harvey isn't the typical Mets slot draft pick, as he's advised by the Boras Corp. After an inconsistent first two years in college, he was much more consistent last year and was arguably the best college righthander in the draft. I'm not completely sold on him based on all that inconsistency, and I could see him winding up in the bullpen down the road, but it's nice to see the Mets take a guy based on more than just slotability.