SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 5: Representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball teams fill Studio 42 during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio on June 5, 2014 in Secacucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
Representatives from the Atlanta Braves and 29 other Major League Baseball teams fill Studio 42 during the MLB First-Year Player Draft at the MLB Network Studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
Atlanta Braves’ selections in rounds 11 and 12 are arms with outstanding potential but signing might be a problem.
Round 11 saw the Atlanta Braves select lefty Jake Higginbotham from Clemson. They continued the ranked pitching theme by taking Nolan Kingham, a RHP from Texas.
Both players ranked highly enough to go in earlier rounds and get higher bonus checks but fell to the Braves.
Both players are juniors with a year of eligibility left and don’t have to sign.
Both players have issues that caused them to drop in spite of their talent.
Eight games into his freshman season Higginbotham suffered a stress fracture in his left elbow. The fracture required surgery and a rehab that lasted until the 2018 season.
Higginbotham made 15 starts for the Tigers this year, throwing 77 innings with a 3.27 ERA, 1.23 WHIP striking out 62 and walking 30. His Baseball America scouting report shows why he’s an interesting selection.
. . . 90-93 mph with his fastball and touching 94 mph with a loose arm . . . creates some deception with his delivery . . . (spins) an average, upper-70s breaking ball and serviceable, low-80s changeup . . . control is ahead of command. . . loses his release point and gets underneath the ball, creating some Jekyll and Hyde innings.
A lefty who touches 94 and spins a nice bender is always good to have around. He has a year of eligibility left so he could return to Clemson and hope for a better year with a bigger bonus.
If the last name sounds familiar, it’s because Nolan’s older brother Nick made a noteworthy major league debut. On April 29 the Pirates called Nick Kingham up for a spot start and he thanked them by throwing seven shutout innings against the Cardinals.
Texas used the younger Kingham as a reliever most of his freshman year. That changed his sophomore year when he predominantly worked as a starter finishing the season with a 4.10 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in 90 innings pitched.
The Austin American Statesman attributes his elevated ERA to a pair of bad outings early in the season and pointed out that he still ranked tenth in the Big 12 conference.
BA’s scouting report says Kingham features a fastball at 96-97, two seam sinker at 92, an above-average 80-81 mph curveball. The Austin American Statesman linked earlier says his breaking pitch is a slider and adds a changeup to the arsenal.
Nolan has more pure stuff than Nick and a more athletic build. At his best he’s TOR starter and would be a great addition to the Braves system.
That’s a Wrap
The question is, will either player sign with the Atlanta Braves now for a small bonus or return to college and hope for a better payday next year?
Tonight’s post by Tori McElhaney mentions Higginbotham by name but not the higher ranked Kingham. I’m going to read into that a belief by McElhaney that the lefty will sign.
Kingham is a tougher decision. He appears to have done everything he can do at Texas. Although he has a year of eligibility remaining, he’s had recurring academic issues.
Big brother Nick signed in the fourth round. Nolan knows he has better stuff and the Braves have a limited amount of money they can give a 12th round player.
I’d return to school and try again in 2019. I think Kingham will as well.
