Overview-A 31st round draft pick in 2008 out of a California high school, his draft position was more about signability than talent. He was thought to be a strong commit to Cal Poly, but the Dodgers managed to get him to sign professionally instead. A projectable prospect, he's likely to get better with time, but the unknown variable is how much better he gets.Stuff-His fastball used to sit around 84-86 mph, but that took an uptick to around the 88-90 range. It's a straight pitch right now, and he doesn't throw harder than 91 mph, but the increase in velocity is important because he's a projectable pitcher that figures to add velocity with time.
Magill allegedly throws both a slider and a curve, but I think he has generally scrapped the curve in favor of the superior slider. The slider is arguably his best pitch, showing tilt and late break, which makes it a potential plus offering. He also has a changeup that's a work in progress, but I think it has promise.
Command-Magill's overall control is promising. Not only does he locate his fastball well, but his breaking pitches are generally around the zone as well. His negatives revolve around his command within the zone, as his fastball gets high from time to time, and his breaking stuff will hang too frequently.
Mechanics-He has a slow and deliberate motion that creates a smooth and repeatable delivery. There's a bit of a leg hitch, but he has good arm action with the intent to throw hard. Magill has a less than ideal way of loading his arm, but it's of minimal concern because his timing is generally solid.
I think his stride is too long, especially since he doesn't compensate for it by pushing off hard with his drive leg. As a result, he abruptly stops his forward momentum with his plant leg by stiffening it vertically. I believe taking a shorter stride and eliminating the cringe worthy plant leg action would enable him to throw downhill easier and with more aggression. So more than being concerned about his arm health, I worry about his lower half breaking down.
Mental-Nothing of note.
Health-Nothing major I know of.
Performance-Last year, he put up a 3.34 ERA and a 3.30 FIP between starting and relief roles in the Gulf Coast League. He had decent peripherals (7.6 K/9 And 2.7 BB/9), but nothing spectacular.
This year, even though his peripherals (6.8 K/9 And 2.5 BB/9) have dropped a bit, Magill has actually done a pretty good job. Not only has he jumped to Ogden, but he has also begun to start full-time, and he currently has a 4.00 ERA with a 3.94 FIP.
Other-As I mentioned before, he has room for more velocity, and it could mean the difference between being a legit prospect and being organizational depth.
Projection-If Magill doesn't add velocity going forward, I see him struggling to make the majors as a starter. Maybe a switch to relief would clear a path to the bigs with his slider, but he still wouldn't be a back-end option. If Magill continues to add velocity, then becoming a #4-#5 option in the rotation doesn't seem so far fetched.
More than pure projections though, it's important to remember how much can change between what he is now and what he could be in a couple years. Either way, he's worth watching.
