Through the Mail Success – Kyle Drabek

Player Name: Kyle Drabek (son of Doug Drabek)

Player’s Current Team: Williamsport Crosscutters (season is over)

Player’s Current Parent Team: Philadelphia Phillies

Player’s Current Address: c/o Williamsport Crosscutters, P.O. Box 3173, Williamsport, PA 17701 77002-2113 (season is over)

Date Sent out: 8/8/08

Date Returned: 8/17/08 (9 days)

Why go after this autograph: This is my sleeper pitcher of the year next year.  He was a Texas high school superstar drafted in the 1st round (18th overall) of the 2006 draft.  He started out his career with the GCL Phillies and just got worked. He had 6 starts, an ERA of 7.83 and a WHIP of 1.91, lots of Phillies fans were blasting management for the pick mainly because of the baggage that came along with him.  Then came 2007 when he was pitching with the Lakewood Blueclaws, got off to a 5-1 start with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP.  Then the unthinkable happened, he blew out his arm and needed Tommy John surgery.  Well he missed the rest of the 2007 season and most of 2008, when he cam back in July and had to start all over again in the GCL.  This time though he was a much1-1/1.10/ more efficient pitcher.  He had a record of 0-1/2.25/1.00 and held batters to a 0.150 batting average in four starts before getting promoted to Williamsport of the NY-Penn league.  There he has gone 1-1/1.10/0.61 and has held batters there to a 0.130 batting average.  From all reports he has been the model minor leaguer and by this time next season he should be in advanced A ball or AA ball.  With an outside shot at the bigs in 2010.  Keep your eye out on him as he will definitely be a pitcher to watch in 2009.

Current MLB Comparison: Greg Maddux – very deceptive pitcher, not a strikeout guy, but very efficient.

Any Current Certified Autographs Available: There are a few of his signature cards available, most going between $1-$5 on eBay, below are two I found during a search.