Andrew
Chafin
LHP
/ Kent State
Bats-Throws: L-L
Height/Weight: 6-2/210
Hometown: Wakeman,
Ohio
Previously
Drafted: Never drafted
Birthdate: June
17, 1990
SCOUTING
PROFILE: Chafin’s emergence as a top starting candidate for the
2011 draft has been somewhat slow to evolve as he spent his freshman
year at Kent State as a dominant closer and sophomore year on the
shelf, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He hurt his elbow late in
his freshman season after going 4-1, 1.26 with eight saves, striking
out 55 in 36 innings. Even with no experience as a starter in
college, Chafin was dominant in that role early this spring as Kent
State’s Friday starter, with his signature outing being a 1-0,
complete-game win over Toledo on the opening weekend of the
Mid-American Conference schedule. He allowed four hits and no walks,
struck out 15 and threw 88 strikes in his 113-pitch masterpiece.
Soon, though, Chafin’s heavy workload caught up with him and he was
forced to miss a weekend start with what Kent State coaches called a
fatigued arm. Through mid-May, he was 6-1, 2.14 with 49 hits, 19
walks and 91 strikeouts in 71 innings. The tall, athletic Chafin has
always flashed starter stuff, with a fastball in the 92-95 mph range.
But the development of his secondary pitches into legitimate
offerings has enabled him to settle in seamlessly this spring as a
starter. His power slider has become a dominant second pitch, and his
changeup is now a viable third offering. His unflappable mound
presence has also served him well as a starter. Chafin has been the
Friday guy in Kent State’s rare all-sophomore rotation, and the
trio has been instrumental in the team winning its fourth straight
MAC title (regular season or tournament). As a staff, the Golden
Flashes boast a 2.62 ERA and have struck out 448 in 470 innings.
Though all three southpaws can throw strikes routinely and specialize
at getting ahead early in the count, they are very different in their
approaches to pitching. Senior lefthander Kyle Hallock (9-4, 1.63, 94
IP/80 SO) and sophomore lefty David Starn (7-2, 2.07, 87 IP/99 SO)
have outpitched Chafin from time to time, but neither comes close to
possessing Chafin’s professional upside. Where Chafin’s fastball
is in the mid-90s, Hallock is typically 87-88 mph, topping at 90, but
can throw four pitches for strikes. Starn is even more of a soft
tosser, with a fastball at 83-85, and succeeds mostly working with
his dominant changeup. If Chafin can overcome his mid-season speed
bump and pitch effectively in his final few starts this season, he
could slip into the back end of the first round. Otherwise, he should
fit safely in the sandwich round.
Projected
Draft Position: Late first round /
compensation round.
Perfect
Game Events
None