Ben Sheets Prospect Retro

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Ben Sheets was drafted in the first round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1999, out of Northeast Louisiana State University. The 10th overall pick in the draft, he was considered to be a very fine overall pitching prospect, with a good combination of stuff and polish. His pro debut was decent: 36 innings split between the Pioneer League and the California League, with a combined 40/16 K/BB and a 4.04 ERA. I gave him a Grade B in the 2000 book, a fairly conservative rating. B+ might have been more appropriate, but I was less aggressive about grading just-drafted players back then than I am now.

Sheets began 2000 for Double-A Huntsville, going 5-3, 1.88 in 13 starts. Promoted to Triple-A, he went 3-5, 2.87 in 13 starts, with a 59/31 K/BB. He was a hero in the Olympics that year, throwing a shutout in the gold medal game against Cuba. People immediately started rating him as one of the top rookies for 2001, projecting him to be a Rookie of the Year candidate and a pitcher certain to do well right away.

Blog: Minor League Ball