Every draft prospect has something to prove. For most, it has to do with their skills on the diamond. For former University of Houston pitcher Seth Romero, he has to prove that he wants to be a professional baseball player. After one suspension earlier in his college career, Romero was dismissed from the University of Houston baseball team in early April. With plenty of questions off the diamond about Romero, here is what we know about the pitcher on the field.
Seth Romero 2017 MLB Draft Profile
Overview
Passed over out of high school, the highly talented left-hander from Texas was in the midst of his worst season at the collegiate level. The 21-year-old appeared in just 10 games. Making multiple appearances out of the bullpen each year at school, Romero has grown primarily into a starter. Listed at 6’1″, 242 pounds, the lefty is consistently hitting 92-94 MPH with his fastball.
His best year in school was his freshman season. He was rewarded by pitching for Team USA that summer. Romero went 7-4, finishing with a 1.94 ERA. He made 14 appearances out of the bullpen that season; the Cougars best season while Romero was at school. The next two seasons, Romero started in 20 of his 25 appearances. With two good pitches, Romero will need to develop a good third option or starting in the big leagues will be tough.
Strengths
Romero has strikeout stuff. His fastball is good and he has a strikeout weapon in his slider. His best asset is his control. He has never had a K/BB ratio lower than four-to-one. With that being said, Romero averages just over a strikeout an inning, keeping his teammates in the game. Romero throws a lot of strikes and plays have to be made. The big question will be if Romero’s strikes get hit harder when he sees better competition.
Romero as a freshman was extremely effective out of the bullpen. With the bullpen continuing to have extreme importance in today’s game, being a long reliever or a two inning man may become his path.
He was coached by Frank Anderson; one of the better pitching coaches in the nation. Anderson is in his fifth year at UH. His pitching staff consistently finishes in the top 10 in the country in stats such as walks per nine innings, WHIP, and strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Weaknesses
The biggest weakness for Romero is his commitment to the game. What team is willing to take him on? We see it all the time in sports, are you talented enough for the organization to put up with your off-field issues? As a draft prospect Romero is all potential and with his dismissal in April, he probably dropped himself out of the first round.
As a starting pitcher, Romero’s lack of a true go-to third option is not good. This season Romero gave up 46 hits in 48.2 innings. He throws a lot of strikes and if he only has two pitches, it will show in the majors. He will spend time in the minors developing that changeup. Romero has to re-commit himself to the game and realize the possibility he has in front of him.
