Mariners potential Draft Profile: Anthony Painter – RHP – Calvary Christian

The Mariners have gone with college arms three years in a row during the first round of the MLB Draft. If they are looking for even more pitching, this year’s selection might come from the high school ranks in Anthony Painter.

Anthony Painter is an RHP from Calvary Christian High School in Florida and already looks major league ready. Some players look like high schoolers, and you can tell that they need to continue to develop before reaching Pro ball. That isn’t the case with Painter, as he’s already around 6’7″ and 215 pounds. Add in that he touches 96, while sitting in the low-to-mid 90s, and you can see why he’s pegged in the middle of the first round.

Anthony Painter looks as polished as a college kid and could be an option at #12 for the Mariners.

Usually, you will see two types of pitchers in high school. The first will have a two-pitch mix, knowing they can rely on those to get them through a game. The other will throw a lot of pitch types, but none of them will be refined, instead, using variety to keep hitters off-balanced, even though none of the pitches are special.

For Anthony Painter, he has a 5-pitch mix already, and he can use all of them. I mentioned the 4-seamer, but he also throws a 2-seamer as well. He’s got a hard slider that he mixes in that sits in the mid-80s and a big breaking 12-6 curveball that’s in the mid to high-70s. He recently started using a changeup as well, and it seems like it could be one of his better pitches, already being given a 55 grade.

For someone who turned 18 in April, the values given to his pitching tools are already quite impressive, all over the board.

• Fastball – 60
• Changeup – 55
• Curveball – 55
• Slider – 50
• Control – 55

He utilized those incredibly well his senior year, striking out 91 of 167 batters faced his senior year, while giving up just two runs in 45.1 innings. Part of that comes from his athleticism, which you can see in not just how he moves on the mound, but in how well he repeats his delivery. You tell me that there is a 6’7″ 18-year-old who is athletic and already touches 96, and I’ll tell you that he should be touching 100 by the time he is 21. Likely sitting high 90’s as well, ala Logan Gilbert.

Already committed to Florida, you have to wonder how set he is on going there. Could a high enough selection be enough to pull him away? Would Seattle, as far as you can get from Florida, be too far for the newly graduated youngster? Or, from the Mariners side, would a high school pitcher be too far outside their draft standards and history to be taken at 12? If they’re looking at pitchers, someone like Ty Madden could easily jump Painter.

If the Mariners decide to change up their strategy and go with a high school pitcher, Painter would be a fantastic selection. You can see the upside and ceiling that he employs from his frame, arm strength, and pitch repertoire. If Dipoto wants a high-school pitcher at pick 12, Anthony Painter will hear his name called for the Seattle Mariners.