29. Dallas Trahern

29. Dallas Trahern -RHP - 6'3 - 190lbs
(last year: 16)

Dallas Trahern was left until the 34th round of the 2004 drafted because teams believed he was going to play ball at the University of Oklahoma. With Sooners pitching coach Ray Hayward being fired, and $160,000 on the table from the Tigers, Dallas decided to go pro. He was a bit unlucky in 2006 as he was in the top 10 in the Florida State League in ERA but also in most losses. 2007 was a bit of a step back for Trahern in AA Erie. His ERA went up, along with his hits allowed, walks, homeruns and whip. His strikeouts decreased as well.

Trahern’s best pitch is a low-90s sinker that he has shown he can throw for strikes. Hitters have trouble lifting it, as evidenced by his 3.3 ground/fly ratio in high Class A. His slider is an average pitch but he uses it to his advantage to help get more groundball outs. He is quite athletic and his delivery is repeatable. When his sinker ball is on, he can be unhittable. His changeup needs to keep improving though as lefties have hit .289, .301, and .310 against him the last three seasons. As good as his stuff is, it’s hard to believe he’s not a bigger strikeout pitcher.

He's in an interesting spot heading into the 2009 season. At just 23, he'll be in the starting rotation out in AAA New Orleans. Trahern was absolutely horrible in 2009 in Albuquerque and perhaps a new venue to call home will give him more confidence in his sinker. The lack of elevation will actually allow his sinker to have that downward boring motion that scouts are used to seeing. Dallas will be one of the first to get a look at the bigs if there is injury to the Fireballing Five.