Cincinnati Reds: Andrew Brackman Damaged Goods or Potential Star?

According to John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Cincinnati Reds have signed North Carolina State standout and New York Yankees 2007 No.1 draft pick Andrew Brackman.

Fay wrote in his article "Moeller's Andrew Brackman comes home to Reds" that Brackman signed a deal with the Reds. Although no announcement has been made by the Reds, according to Fay, general manager Walt Jocketty said at the winter meetings that the Reds were pursuing Brackman.

Brackman was drafted out of college as a starting pitcher, but according to MLB.com, DRAFTCENTRAL scouts were concerned with his durability. He had never spent an entire college season as a starting pitcher and was shut down with a tired arm late in his junior year.

His strength coming out of college was an above-average velocity on both his two- and four- seam fastballs (92 - 97 mph) with plus command of the two-seamer.

Due to elbow surgery on his throwing arm, Brackman did not start his professional career until 2009. In his three seasons in the Yankee farm system he did not demonstrate the potential the Yankees were looking for and was released.

He posted a 15-29 record with a 5.11 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in his three minor league seasons. Those numbers will not get you noticed, and last season he developed control problems and was moved to the pen.

According to Fay, Brackman is fine with the move to the pen and he said it added zip to his fastball. Brackman also believes he has fixed the control issue.

"I'm 100 percent confident that I've got the thing with walks fixed," Brackman said.

Sounds as though Brackman's days as a starter are over and that Jocketty and the Reds are taking a flyer on him in hopes of one day becoming part of their pen.