Josh Hader

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #2 prospect in 2017
  One of four players acquired from the Astros in the July 2015 trade that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston, Hader drew raves from scouts with a sensational showing in that year's Arizona Fall League. He breezed through 11 starts at Double-A Biloxi in 2016 before encountering trouble at Triple-A Colorado Springs, a hitter's haven. Still, he struck out 161 batters to rank fourth in the minors. Hader has no trouble striking out batters from both sides of the plate with a live fastball in the 92-97 mph range and a filthy, sharp-breaking slider he throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. With the low arm angle and funky delivery, deception is a big part of his game. Hader made it even harder to track his pitches by moving to the first-base side of the rubber, and he changed the grip on his slider to give him more command of the high-80s breaking ball. If Hader ever finds consistency with his changeup, he'll be almost completely unhittable, but he has struggled to stay on top of the pitch. Because he is not afraid to pitch inside, righties cannot dig in on him. He still has bouts of wildness and must concentrate on his mechanics to avoid having those issues elevate his pitch counts. Hader has front-line starter's stuff but must improve his changeup and control to reach his ceiling. Now that the Brewers have added him to the 40-man roster, he will compete for a big league job in spring training.
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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #11 prospect in 2016
  A 19th-round pick out of high school, Hader already has been dealt twice at the trade deadline during his first four pro seasons. The Orioles traded him to the Astros for veteran righthander Bud Norris in 2013, and Hader shined in 2014 at high Class A Lancaster, a notoriously hitter-friendly venue, by going 9-2, 2.70 to claim the California League pitcher-of-the-year award. The Astros bundled him with outfielder Brett Phillips and two other prospects when they traded him to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers in 2015. Hader's lanky build and low three-quarter arm slot both resemble White Sox ace Chris Sale, though Hader doesn't have the same high-quality secondary stuff. His fastball usually sits in the low to mid-90s, and he reached the high 90s while pitching relief in the Arizona Fall League. Because of his lower arm angle, Hader's fastball has plus movement, and he's not afraid to work batters inside with it. However, his low slot makes it difficult for him to get on top of the ball, and thus his changeup and, especially, slider have been below-average. Hader's funky, deceptive delivery includes a slight pause that keeps baserunners honest. His reliance on his outstanding fastball combined with just ordinary control make him a possible bullpen candidate, but the Brewers will continue to develop him as a starter. After all, he pitched as well as ever after joining Double-A Biloxi in 2015, striking out 50 batters in 39 innings.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #10 prospect in 2015
  The Orioles drafted Hader as a local follow and signed him for $40,000 in 2012. He was developing into one of Baltimore's better prospects when the Astros acquired him for Bud Norris in July 2013. Hader's breakthrough 2014 season included being the high Class A California League pitcher of the year and reaching Double-A Corpus Christi by age 20. Hader is a young, thin, nasty lefthander with a Chris Sale body and arm slot, albeit from a shorter frame. He pitches with an above-average fastball at 88-93 mph that touches 96 and plays up. His low slot gives his heater running life and deception, and he pitches aggressively with it, busting hitters inside. Hader generally throws fastball strikes, but Double-A hitters didn't chase and he'll have to improve his control to remain a starter. His inconsistent slider and changeup flash average but generally are below-average pitches. Durability will always be a question because of Hader's size and how he slings the ball across his body. He's young enough that the Astros will give him plenty of time in the rotation, but his reliance on his fastball profiles him better as a reliever. He likely returns to Corpus Christi in 2015.
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  Ranked Houston Astros #14 prospect in 2014
  A skinny southpaw who sat 84-87 mph during much of his senior season of high school, Hader signed with the Orioles for $40,000 as a 19th-rounder, then went on long-toss and weight-training programs that quickly developed him into a much more interesting low-90s slinger. The Astros acquired Hader, along with L.J. Hoes, for Bud Norris in July 2013. He sets up with his body pointed at a 45-degree angle to home plate. He then winds with a big leg kick and fires from a crossfire, nearly sidearm delivery. It's one of the more unconventional deliveries a starter could use, but because Hader has an extremely loose arm, it generally works for him. His 90-94 mph fastball grades as an above-average pitch, but few hitters ever seem to get a good swing because of how well he hides the ball. Because of his arm slot, Hader throws a slurvy 75-78 mph curveball that will flash average. The Astros believe Hader will continue getting stronger and will improve his control, giving him a chance to be a mid-rotation starter. But other scouts see him as a future lefty reliever where his low angle will make life difficult for lefthanders. He'll be battling in spring training to be part of a crowded high Class A Lancaster rotation in 2014.
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  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #19 prospect in 2013
  Hader didn't generate much draft hype in the spring of 2012 as a lanky lefthander who threw 84-87 mph. But Orioles scout Dean Albany kept close tabs on him and saw him pitch a 13-strikeout complete game in May, prompting the team to select him in the 19th round. Shortly after the draft, Hader struck out three in two innings of the Brooks Robinson all-star game--a Maryland high school showcase at Camden Yards--in front of general manager Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter. The next day, Baltimore signed Hader away from an Anne Arundel (Md.) CC commitment for $40,000. His velocity soared as Baltimore's development staff helped him gain weight, straighten out his delivery and get on a long-toss program. Hader's fastball now ranges from 89-94 mph, and he starred in his pro debut and during instructional league. Long and loose, he creates deception from a low three-quarters delivery. His secondary stuff is a work in progress, but he has the makings of a plus changeup and an average slider. He also has a slurvy curveball and throws strikes with all his pitches. For his body type and delivery, he draws comparisons to Chris Sale. Hader's first full pro season should start in low Class A Delmarva. If he lives up to his potential, he could blossom into a No. 3 starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #11 prospect in 2017
  Rocked for a 5.22 ERA in 14 starts for Colorado Springs last year and a 5.37 mark this year in 12 more, Hader showed plus stuff in the PCL and morphed into a starring role--as a setup reliever--when called up to the Brewers on June 10. Hader's combination of mid-90s fastball and Wiffle-Ball slider confounded hitters, especially lefthanders. Though he dominated in the bullpen, the Brewers haven't ruled out a return to the rotation next year. That's because Hader throws a third pitch, a changeup, to give him a viable three-pitch mix. "He's got the stuff," Colorado Springs manager Rick Sweet said. "He's got the pitches. He just wasn't ready as a starter."
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  Ranked Southern League #6 prospect in 2016
  The Orioles shrewdly identified Hader, a Maryland prep selected in the 19th round, in the 2012 draft, but they traded him to the Astros a year later for Bud Norris. Houston watched Hader win the California League pitcher-of-the-year award in 2014 before dealing him to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez at the 2015 deadline. The Brewers are the second organization to trade for Hader, but don't expect them to part with the southpaw any time soon. For some evaluators, Hader showed No. 1 starter upside in the SL and earned the circuit's best-pitching-prospect tag from managers in Best Tools balloting. No starter who qualified for this ranking struck out a higher percentage of opponents (32.7 percent) than Hader, who throws two above-average to plus pitches, led by a 92-97 mph fastball that features serious late life. Batters struggle to pick up the ball out of Hader's hand because of his deceptive motion and low three-quarters arm slot. Hader changed the grip on his slider late in 2015 and it now flashes plus more often. He throws his high-80s breaking ball as a chase pitch to lefthanders and to upset balance for righthanders. He struggles to stay on top of his fringy changeup, but he limits damage from righthanders because he is unafraid to pitch inside. Hader works fast and oozes mound presence, but he must sharpen his control and command to reach his ceiling.
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  Ranked Pacific Coast League #11 prospect in 2016
  Hader has developed into one of the game's top pitching prospects, but you wouldn't know it to read his career transactions. The Orioles traded him to the Astros for Bud Norris in 2013, and then the Astros traded him to the Brewers for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers in 2015. Hader carved up Double-A competition this season and appeared in the Futures Game, but in his first taste of adversity in pro ball, he ran up a 5.22 ERA in 14 starts at Colorado Springs following a June 12 promotion. Hader uses an electric fastball with plus movement to highlight his arsenal. He works at 94-97 mph with an ability to reach 99 on occasion. He throws a tight slider and fringe-average changeup, with his breaking ball sitting 76-78 mph and flashing plus. Hader walked 4.7 batters per nine innings in the PCL as struggled to entice Triple-A batters to chase out of the zone. Hader's power repertoire, deceptive and funky delivery and low arm slot remind some evaluators of White Sox ace Chris Sale, though Hader doesn't have that kind of breaking ball quality or overall pitch command at this stage.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #33 prospect in 2017

• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: One of four players acquired from the Astros in the July 2015 trade that sent Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers to Houston, Hader drew raves from scouts with a sensational showing in that year's Arizona Fall League. He breezed through 11 starts at Double-A Biloxi in 2016 before encountering trouble at Triple-A Colorado Springs, a hitter's haven. Scouting Report: Hader struck out batters from both sides of the plate with a live fastball in the 92-97 mph range and a sharp-breaking slider he throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. With the low arm angle and funky delivery, deception is a big part of his game. Hader made it even harder to track his pitches by moving to the first-base side of the rubber, and he changed the grip on his slider to give him more command of the high-80s breaking ball. If Hader ever finds consistency with his changeup, he'll be almost completely unhittable, but he has struggled to stay on top of the pitch.
  
  The Future: Hader has front-line starter's stuff but must improve his changeup and control to reach his ceiling. Now that the Brewers have added him to the 40-man roster, he will compete for a big league job in spring training.