Fireballer Newcomb tabbed for Futures Game
ANAHEIM -- Angels pitching prospect Sean Newcomb, drafted 15th overall last summer, has been selected to take part in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Cincinnati on July 12.
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Newcomb, who will be on the U.S. roster at the prestigious showcase, has posted a 2.61 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP while pitching at both Class A levels in his first full season of pro ball, walking 4.7 batters and striking out 11.8 per nine innings.
The 22-year-old left-hander is 6-foot-5 with a 245-pound frame, a clean, easy-to-repeat delivery and a fastball that sits in the mid-90s with relative ease.
"He throws 95 [mph] and it looks like he's playing catch," Angels director of player development Bobby Scales recently said of Newcomb, ranked second in the Angels' system and 55th overall by MLBPipeline.com.
Newcomb is on track to contribute by 2017, and the Angels vow to be patient -- despite how captivating his stuff can be.
"Growing up in the Northeast, he just hasn't played nearly as much baseball as other guys," Scales said. "His development may be a little slower than other guys who pitched in the south or in the west. He may need more innings, and that's OK."
The 17th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game takes place at 12 p.m. PT on July 12, and it can be seen live on MLB Network and MLB.com, with Matt Vasgersian, Dan Plesac, Heidi Watney and Jonathan Mayo on the call. In addition, SiriusXM Radio will broadcast play-by-play coverage of the event live on MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89; Sirius channel 209). MLB.com will also provide complete coverage before, during and after the game. Fans can stay updated by following @FuturesGame on Twitter and can send/receive tweets to/from the U.S. and World dugouts during the game by tagging tweets with the hashtags #USDugout and #WorldDugout.