Nick Adenhart may not be a household name in the LA market yet, but a minor league pitcher whom the Los Angeles Angels won’t deal for Alfonso Soriano will have a hard time staying off the front of the LA Times Sports section for long.
During deadline trade talks, Washington general manager Jim Bowden asked the Angels about Adenhart in a potential deal for All-Star left fielder Alfonso Soriano, but the Halos’ general manager Bill Stoneman would not budge.
The Angels took the exuberant young Adenhart in the fourteenth round of the 2004 Amateur Draft with the 413th overall pick. While you would have had to look hard to find it in your morning fishwrap, it sent shockwaves throughout Major League front offices across the country.
Adenhart was a dead-bang lock for a top ten to fifteen pick in the upcoming draft, barring an injury.
The right-hander, entering his senior season at Williamsport High in Maryland, tossed a perfect game in his first start, setting off Adenhart apoplexy in Williamsport that snowballed into state and national media.
A local television station televised a couple of Adenhart’s outings. Students hung “K” markers in left field and celebrities such as Cal Ripken Jr. showed up to watch him pitch.
The joy ride came crashing to a halt during his final regular season game. In front of an assemblage of clip-board-toting baseball scouts, a pop in his right elbow forced Adenhart to leave the game. Nick partially tore the ligament in his right elbow.
The doc’s diagnosis? It would require Tommy John surgery.
The Angels were still interested thanks to recommendations made by area scout Dan Radcliff. Adenhart leaned towards continuing his career at North Carolina, but the Angels persuaded him with a $710,000 signing bonus and a rehabilitation plan to get him back on the mound.
The Angels took the training wheels off in June of 2005. Adenhart made his first start for their Arizona Rookie League squad. The 6-4, 190 pound right hander hasn’t looked back since, posting a 3.68 earned run average in 14 starts for the Arizona League Angels and Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League. Adenhart began the 2006 season with the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernals of the Midwest League, but was quickly promoted after going 10-2 with a 1.95 earn run average in 16 starts.
Adenhart has landed in Rancho Cucamonga, shaking up the roster of the Quakes of the Single-A California League. He has three above-average pitches in his arsenal: A low-to-mid 90s fastball, a nasty, late breaking curveball and a circle change.
Angels scouting director Tony Reagins raves about Adenhart’s mechanics and his demeanor on the mound. “The ease of his delivery really stands out,” says Reagins. “He does it without a lot of effort. He competes, he commands the baseball well, and he is not intimidated.”
Adenhart was selected to play in the 2006 Futures Game in Pittsburgh, a big but logical step up from his Baseball America Youth Player of the Year award back in 2003.
The Angels view Adenhart as the pitching jewel of their farm system. They will take a conservative route in moving him up. He will pitch at Double-A Arkansas in 2007 with a chance to reach Anaheim late into the season. He debuts on the MLN FAB50 Baseball 2006 rankings at 41.
- Chris HADORN
