Continuing our top 100 countdown, we’ve reached number 57 on our list in Ole Miss right-handed pitcher James McArthur.
Coming out of high school Perfect Game ranked him as the 48th best prospect in the state of Texas.
In his freshman season at Ole Miss he pitched 61.1 innings, posting an ERA of 4.26 with 61 strikeouts, while allowing 66 hits and 20 walks.
That season was good enough for him to be named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball.
His numbers were nearly identical in his sophomore season as he had a 4.73 ERA in 64.2 innings pitched with 60 strikeouts. However, he only allowed 49 hits and 24 walks for a WHIP of 1.13, and he had a batting average against of just .209.
Certainly that WHIP and BAA don’t usually add up to a high four ERA.
This past summer he picked up some extra innings in the Cape Cod League. There he made eight starts and had an ERA of 3.00 in 33 innings pitched, but just had 19 strikeouts. He also allowed 33 hits and 14 walks.
At 6-foot-7, 235 pounds McArthur has the perfect build to be a durable major league starter. You can see the easy, downhill motion in his delivery. He has a lot of downward movement on all of his pitches, and a very good cutter or slider that breaks down-and-away from right-handed hitters.
I think McArthur is ultimately a mid-three ERA guy who can strikeout a batter an inning. We just need to see him put it all together at the collegiate level.
At the major league level I see him being a workhorse, middle-of-the-rotation starter. Hopefully we see McArthur reach his potential in 2018 and become that innings eater with a mid-three ERA that we know he can be.
