Jeremy Sowers

After three years, Sowers and the draft meet again, and he's ready to sign this time. The Reds picked Sowers 20th overall in 2001 out of Louisville's Ballard High but made little attempt to sign him, and he honored his Vanderbilt commitment. Sowers has been the Commodores' No. 1 starter for three seasons, and Southeastern Conference teams have tried to attack him by swinging early in the count. It's the best approach against this slender, efficient strike-throwing machine. Sowers pounds the zone with four pitches: an accurate, active fastball he throws anywhere from 85-91 mph, a solid-average slider and curveball, and a changeup with good movement that he uses sparingly. His consistency and makeup impress scouts nearly as much as his stuff and command. Sowers' twin brother Josh pitches at Yale with similar pitches and command from the right side.