Stanton predicts more power pitchers to come

ARLINGTON -- Giancarlo Stanton, with his size and strength, is becoming the standard of the next generation of power hitters.

The Marlins right fielder stands nearly 6-foot-6 and weighs close to 260 pounds of solid muscle. Stanton's home runs are awe-inspiring, and they frequently rank among the furthest hit this season.

Home-grown, Stanton was the Marlins' second-round Draft pick in 2007, and he's emerged as a force since breaking into the big leagues in 2010.

While the slugger is helping to re-define today's prototypical power hitter, the Marlins may have just drafted the Stanton of pitchers.

With the second overall pick in last Thursday's First-Year Player Draft, Miami selected Tyler Kolek, the hard-throwing right-hander from Shepherd, Texas.

Kolek says he is 6-foot-5 1/2 and 255 pounds. His fastball has been clocked at 102 mph, the highest reading ever for a high school pitcher.

The emergence of power arms doesn't surprise Stanton.

"I feel like in 10 or 15 years, everybody is going to have Tommy John [surgery], and everyone is going to throw 95, 100 [mph]," Stanton said. "That's going to be the base."

The unfortunate part of throwing so hard is pitchers break down. Miami witnessed that this season when Jose Fernandez underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Last year, Stanton was a teammate of veteran Juan Pierre, who broke into the big leagues in 2000.

"I remember talking to Juan Pierre, and he was like, 'When I came up, everyone was 88-92 [mph],'" Stanton said. "You had two guys on the staff who were 95-plus, two or three. Now, if some guy throws 92, he's their softest-throwing guy."

In Kolek, Stanton sees a massive figure.

"He's like Bour," Stanton said, referring to Justin Bour, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound first baseman who was just promoted to the Marlins from Triple-A New Orleans.