Ryan Snare: This pitcher was probably over
looked by some due to the other players that the Reds took with their high
draft choices last June (they used two #1 picks on David Espinosa and
Dustin Moseley, and then second round picks on Dane Sardinha and on Snare
at #63). So far this season, Snare has looked like a great pick and also
looks to be a player who will move fast up the minor league
ladder.
A 22-year-old left-handed pitcher, Snare was originally
drafted in the ninth round by the Braves in 1997 out of East Lake High
School. He decided against signing and instead attended the University of
North Carolina where he was a teammate of Padres pitching prospect Mike
Bynum. Snare went on to star for the Tar Heels and posted his best season
in his last season there, going 9-1, 3.34 ERA, and in 81 strikeouts in 86
innings of work. That performance raised his stock up to the higher rounds
of the draft.
For a left-handed pitcher, his ability grades
out above average. Snare using a nasty curve as his top pitch, followed by
a fastball that consistantly hits in the low-90s. At 5-feet and 190
pounds, Snare is not an intimidating presence, but he is a hard worker who
gets the most out of what he has. Snare has a similiar attitude on the
mound that Brett Myers of the Philles has.
Snare didn't pitch
professionally last season, so he is making his debut this season at
Single-A Dayton (where he is a teammate of Dustin Moseley). He's gotten
off to a fast start with the Dragons, going 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA, 29.2
innings pitched, 24 hits allowed, 7 walks, and 42 strikeouts thru six
starts. To date, he has been one of the best pitchers in the Midwest
League. Watch for Snare to advance quickly as the Reds (like most teams)
could use a quality lefty, he doesn't have the ceiling of Moseley, but he
will reach the majors first and should be effective as a solid
mid-rotation type of pitcher.