Guardians Baseball Insider

Image: Southern Miss Athletic

The Cleveland Indians selected Right-handed Pitcher Hunter Stanley with the eleventh-round pick (336th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Hunter Stanley – Right-handed Pitcher

School: Southern Miss
Age: 23.6
Height: 6’0; Weight: 190 
Throws: Right

Hunter Stanley Pre-Draft Rankings:

IBI – rounds 11-15

Prospects Live – 524

Baseball America – 250

MLB.com– unranked

Willie Hood’s Analysis:

The right-hander was a fifth-year college senior, serving as the Golden Eagles ace. He started his collegiate career at Meridian Community College for transferring to Southern Miss. Stanley is the third (McCarty, Sandlin) Friday night starter the club has drafted from the program in recent years. As a college senior, the righty should be quick to sign and begin his professional career. In 2021, Stanley logged 102 innings with 127 punchouts (11.21 K9) and 19 walks (1.68 BB9).

Stanley is a smaller framed right-handed pitcher with a medium athletic frame, and he’s another in a series of arms with an over-the-top delivery. He’s a competitor on the mound and displays advance pitch-ability. The Louisana native sits in the low-90’s and reportedly ran his heater up to 97 this spring. His changeup sits in the 81-83 range, with his slider sitting around 80 mph. He is a command over stuff pitcher with plus to double plus control. As an older pitcher with less stuff than some others in this class, Stanley could be pushed into a multi-inning role out of the bullpen. His experience should benefit him in whatever role he assumes.

Justin Lada’s take:

Stanley has a funky delivery. He leans over to the third base side like he’s going to drop down as a sidearmer but then tilts back and winds up having a high arm slot. That could really throw hitters off. His fastball sits in the low-90s but the report that he can touch 95 is intriguing for a guy that might have plus command and two other average pitches. Put that into the bullpen and he might wind up having some additional velocity and one of his secondaries might play better there. But a pitcher with his command who might now be 92-95 is intruding. A good 11th round flyer who could be a solid relief piece of back of the rotation arm.

Press release:

RHP Hunter Stanley

Louisiana native went 6-4 with a 2.31 ERA in 16 appearances/15 starts in 2021. Transitioned to a starter this year
after his first 37 appearances came out of the bullpen. Went 13-6 with a 2.60 ERA in 15 starts/53 appearances
over three seasons at Southern Miss. Named second-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball and third-team
by ABCA/Rawlings & D1Baseball.com. Was awarded first-team All-Conference USA honors and first-team
ABCA/Rawlings All-South Region team accolades. Played at Meridian Community College before transferring to
Southern Miss.