Name: Josh Zeid
Position: RHP
Bats: RH
Throws: RH
DOB: 3/24/87 (24 as of April 1, 2011)
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 215 lbs
Drafted: 10th round, 2009 ($10,000 bonus)
Pre Draft Report: Josh Zeid was drafted in the 10th round of the 2009 draft out of Tulane University. He was a high school All-American and Connecticut’s Player of the Year at Hamden Hall Country Day School. He originally played collegiately at Vanderbilt, but after pitching just 26.2 innings (including just 4.1 as a sophomore), he transferred to Tulane. In his first season at Tulane, he only pitched 16 innings. After pitching just 42.2 innings over his first three college seasons, he pitched 76.1 as a senior, with a 45/28 K/BB ratio. Zeid attributes the increase in innings to a maturation process; early in his career, he admittedly felt pressure to live up to his high school accolades and often didn’t face adversity very well, which in turn negatively affected his performance.
Heading into the draft, BA rated him the 9th best prospect in Louisiana. In its scouting report, it blamed inconsistency (not injury) for the low IP total over his first three years, but called him one of the better senior signs of the draft class, with arm strength to pitch in the low-90s and hit 95 and noted improvement with his slider and command (while also noting that more improvement was needed). BA projected him as a bullpen arm in professional ball.
Zeid signed in mid-June and reported to Williamsport.
Career Synopsis: Zeid adjusted quickly to pro ball, pitching to a 2.03 ERA in 11 starts (57.2 IP) before the NYPL all-star break before all the innings caught up with him and he compiled a 5.32 ERA after the break. All told, he pitched 79.2 innings, with 8.1 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, a 3.6 K/BB ratio, and a low home run rate of 0.1 (just one home run allowed). Following the season, he participated in the FIL.
In 2010, Zeid spent the season at Lakewood, splitting time between starting, middle relief, and closing. He was the Phillies Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April. On the season, he pitched 107.1 innings total, keeping his walk rate identical to the prior season, but adding 1.2 strikeouts to his K rate. His home run rate stayed fairly low at 0.6. Following the season, Zeid pitched in the Arizona Fall League where he had a 12/1 K/BB ratio and held opponents to a .204 batting average. He also pitched in the Rising Stars Game.
Scouting Report: Below is an assessment of Zeid’s raw tools, rated on the traditional 20-80 scouting scale. The grades are my estimation based on what I’ve read and those I’ve talked to. The second number is a future projection, the first number is the current assessment
Arm Strength:60
Fastball:55
Control:55
Command:45/50
Mechanics:45
Durability:50
Secondary Pitches:40
Summary: Zeid’s move to the pen has allowed him to air it out a bit more, regularly sitting 93-94. He creates some deception in his delivery, allowing his fastball to play up a bit. His control has been fine as a pro, with average to a tick below command. His mechanics aren’t flawless, but it seems to work for him. He didn’t pitch a ton in college, but it wasn’t injury related, and as a reliever, he should be fine. Both his changeup and breaking ball are a tick below average, from all reports I’ve read.
Upside: Zeid’s performance through his first two years has been encouraging. His hit, home run, walk, and strikeout ratios all scream prospect. John Sickels has listed him at #13 in his 2011 list of Phillies prospects. The biggest negative on Zeid’s ledger to this point is his age, as he has been old for each stop so far. He will follow the course the Phillies have charted for most of their recent college bullpen arms, bypassing Clearwater for Reading. Expect Zeid to spend the year in Reading’s ‘pen and continued success there would place him firmly in what is becoming a stockpile of potential big league bullpen arms.
Videos:
The thing that stands out to me in his delivery is the way he drops his back shoulder. This helps him create deception, but the one downside (for me), is that he creates a stabbing motion with his pitching hand, which can put additional stress on the arm. Other than that, he repeats his delivery well. He’s essentially a finished product and should move quickly now that he is in the bullpen.
Articles:
2009-03-12: Tulane starter Josh Zeid beginning to get things together
Profile updated: 30 January 2011
Profile added.