Player Profile - Kyle O'Campo

  
Throws: Right
Height/Weight: 6'3''/195
Birthday: 9/9/1988 (Age 19) 
Roster Status: Rule V Eligible after 2011 Season

Background: Kyle O'Campo scared away a lot of teams with his Cal State Fullerton commitment prior to the 2007 draft.  However, the Rangers signed him for an above-slot amount of $250,000, a high number for a 13th round selection.  Baseball America ranked the righty as the 123rd-best prospect in all of baseball for the 2007 draft, so slipping to the 13th round was obviously a result of his commitment to the Titans.  Scouts saw O'Campo as slightly below the top tier of pitching talent for the draft mainly due to mechanics and command.  Scouts wondered if he could turn his motion into a consistent strike-throwing one, but the Rangers saw a pitcher with a ton of potential and talent.

Pitches: O'Campo features three pitches, with a fourth being available in necessity.  His plus pitch is his fastball, which has normally sat at 88-91, but has reportedly reached 95.  It's likely he'll sit somewhere around 92 when all is said and done, as he does not control the faster offerings nearly as well.  His best secondary offering is his slider, which usually sits in the mid-70s.  It doesn't really look like he commands it exceptionally well, but as he gains experience, look for this pitch to possibly become a plus pitch.  The last, and most underdeveloped, pitch O'Campo throws is his changeup, which has been emphasized under the Rangers' pitcher development program.  Being his weakest pitch, he uses it mainly to keep hitters off balance, with its command being below-average at this point.  It can develop into an average for O'Campo.  The last pitch that's available for use is his curveball, which underwhelmed scouts leading up to the draft last year.  If O'Campo can command his main three pitches, he's a starting pitching candidate.  If he cannot, look for a move to the bullpen as he moves up the ladder.

Professional Experience: 2008 is O'Campo's first pro experience.

2008 Season: O'Campo did not pitch competitively following his late signing last year, so 2008 was slated to be his first pro experience.  He did get experience in the instructional league in the fall.  Out of spring training, O'Campo was assigned to stay back in Surprise for extra months of a pitching program aimed at limiting his innings in his first full pro season.  This has become commonplace for Ranger high school draftees, with Kasey Kiker, Blake Beavan, and Michael Main being products of that system (Main was also limited by injury).  When he finally broke camp, he was assigned to the same place, the Arizona League.  So far, the experience has been a good one for O'Campo.  In 35 innings, he's flashed a 3.86 ERA with hitters only hitting at a .227 pace against him.  He's struck out 37 hitters over that time frame, and only walked 10, a testament to the hard work he's put in at commanding his pitches since entering the organization.  He's allowed 3 home runs so far, which might be of some concern, but it can possibly be chalked up to getting back into competitive games for the first time in a calendar year.  His splits show lefties only hitting slightly better than righties, so it looks as if he's improving his changeup as time goes along, meaning he should stick as a starter for the time being.  Overall, if O'Campo finishes up strong, 2008 will be a total positive for the young pitcher.

Future Outlook: O'Campo's future is as a starting pitching prospect for the time being.  If he finishes pretty strong, he'll find himself on the opening day roster for Clinton next spring at age 20, another success story for the Rangers' player development program.  He pitched quite a lot in high school, so we'll have to see how his arm holds up over a long season, but his frame seems to suggest he can withstand the rigors of pitching.  His motion might lead to future injuries, but as with all pitchers, it's highly individualized.  Look for him to move up one step at a time over the next couple of years as he builds up innings.  His ceiling is probably as a #3 starter, though that is really pushing it.  He can be a useful starter, however, and if his secondary pitches don't develop as well, his plus fastball and average slider can be an asset in the bullpen.

Profile Coming Next: C Manny Pina

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