Paul Blackburn Stats & Scouting Report

IP	24.1
ERA	5.18
WHIP	1.56
BB/9	2.59
SO/9	7.77

Full name Paul Blackburn
Born 12/04/1993 in Antioch, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 196 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Heritage
Debut 07/01/2017
Drafted in the C-A round (56th overall) by the Chicago Cubs in 2012 (signed for $911,700).

View Draft Report

Blackburn stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds. He is a good athlete and shows a clean delivery that he repeats well. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and tops out at 94. Scouts can still project on Blackburn. His curveball and changeup show promise and he could eventually have three plus pitches. Because of his athleticism and smooth mechanics, scouts believe he will also eventually pitch with above-average control and command. He shows good feel and poise on the mound, too. Blackburn has consistently pitched well throughout the spring and is interested in professional baseball, so scouts don't believe he'll wind up at Arizona State, where he has committed.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Cubs drafted Blackburn 56th overall out of high school in Brentwood, about 50 miles east of Oakland, and signed him away from an Arizona State commitment for $911,700. The Mariners acquired Blackburn with Dan Vogelbach at the 2016 trade deadline, and Seattle traded him to Oakland straight up for Danny Valencia that November. Blackburn's best offering is a plus upper-70s curveball he can land for a strike at any time, and he complements it with an average 90-93 mph fastball he commands well in the bottom half of the zone. Blackburn has induced more than 60 percent more groundouts than airouts in his career, a testament to his command of his top two offerings. His 82-86 mph slider ranks behind his curveball and his changeup grades below-average, but he is able to mix and match them well off his other pitches. Blackburn importantly showed durability after two disabled list stints in 2015--one for a foot injury and one for forearm soreness--by throwing 143 innings during the 2016 regular season at Double-A followed by two six-inning starts in the Southern League playoffs, including a win in the clinching game of the championship series. He will begin 2017 at Triple-A and could rise to Oakland as a groundball-oriented long man or spot starter.
The Cubs' front office has yet to develop a homegrown starter in its four seasons in Chicago. Sincetraded righthander Zack Godley is the lone pitcher from four drafts to reach the majors so far, and he did so with the Diamondbacks in 2015. Of course, a number of products from the 2012 draft--the first under assistant general manager Jason McLeod--still have time on their side, such as Blackburn and fellow righties Pierce Johnson and Duane Underwood. Blackburn signed for $911,700 and has moved slowly, compounded in 2015 by two disabled list stints--one for a fluke right foot injury, then for forearm soreness that kept him out of the Carolina League playoffs. His profile hasn't changed much over the years when he's healthy and at his best. He has a good feel for using three average-or-better offerings--a fastball that can sit at 93-94 mph, an above-average curveball he throws with good shape, spin and power at up to 79 mph and a solid-average changeup. Blackburn fills up the bottom of the strike zone, ranking among the system's best control artists. He also gets groundball outs and keeps the ball in the ballpark, required for him because he lacks a true putaway, swing-and-miss pitch. Blackburn has to prove he can stay durable to fill his back-of-the-rotation profile and to earn a spot in the Double-A Tennessee rotation in 2016.
Which is the real Blackburn? The command-and-control, pitchability righthander whose fastball generally sat in the 87-91 mph range during the 2014 regular season? Or the ace who dealt in the low Class A Midwest League playoffs, sitting 92-94 mph in a five-inning, one-hit, seven-strikeout shutout appearance? If that Blackburn shows up more regularly, the Cubs believe they'll have a No. 3 or 4 starter on their hands. He pitches off his sinking fastball, which he locates well. His best pitch at this point is his curveball, which has a chance to be plus because it has good shape and spin. Blackburn's changeup has potential to be average as well. He is a cerebral pitcher who keeps journals on opposing hitters and his own workout regimen, trying to learn what works and what doesn't. What he did in the playoffs worked, so the Cubs hope to see more of it at high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2015.
Blackburn dominated high school competition at Heritage High in the East Bay area, posting a 0.95 ERA in three varsity seasons, then signing for $911,700 as a sandwich pick. The Cubs took it slow with Blackburn, sending him to short-season Boise in 2013, where he started the campaign with 17 innings without giving up an earned run. But his command faltered after that start, and he walked 27 in his final 31 innings, mostly as he struggled to locate his fastball. Blackburn has the stuff to start, with a three-pitch mix that includes increased fastball velocity. He touches 95 mph and sits in the 90-93 range, while his curveball has the proper spin and shape, and he flashes an above-average changeup as well. Despite his bouts of wildness, he pitches with poise and has mound presence to spare. A solid athlete, he has gained 35 pounds since signing and is still learning to tame his bigger frame. Blackburn's control issues surprised the Cubs, who see him as a pitchability guy with above-average stuff. He's headed for low Class A Kane County for his first shot at full-season ball in 2014.
The Cubs used seven of their first eight picks in the 2012 draft on arms, and Blackburn stands out as having the best feel for pitching among that group. The 56th overall pick, he turned down an Arizona State commitment to sign for $911,700. Blackburn works down in the strike zone and to both sides of the plate with a 90-92 mph fastball that peaks at 94. He hasn't filled out yet, so there could be more velocity in his future. He's athletic and repeats his smooth delivery well, which bodes well for the development of his secondary pitches and command. Chicago believes he'll eventually have a plus curveball, and his changeup has similar promise. He gets high marks for his mound presence. Blackburn has the ingredients necessary to become a No. 3 starter, and he's advanced enough to consider sending him to low Class A in his first full pro season.

Draft Prospects

Blackburn stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 180 pounds. He is a good athlete and shows a clean delivery that he repeats well. His fastball sits in the 90-92 mph range and tops out at 94. Scouts can still project on Blackburn. His curveball and changeup show promise and he could eventually have three plus pitches. Because of his athleticism and smooth mechanics, scouts believe he will also eventually pitch with above-average control and command. He shows good feel and poise on the mound, too. Blackburn has consistently pitched well throughout the spring and is interested in professional baseball, so scouts don't believe he'll wind up at Arizona State, where he has committed.

Minor League Top Prospects

Though Blackburn is just 19, he already has a nice mix of pitches with a 91-93 mph fastball, a curveball and a changeup. He has projection along with some pitchability, though he struggled at times with commanding his fastball. ?For a young guy, he pitched like he?d been here before,? Boise?s Van Tol said. ?His competitiveness and mound presence are pretty impressive. He has good sink on his fastball and keeps everything down in the zone. To me, he?s a three-pitch starter-type guy who could become a No. 3 or 4 starter in the big leagues.? Blackburn, the 56th pick in the 2012 draft, signed with the Cubs for $911,700 instead of going to Arizona State. He shined for Boise in two playoff starts, striking out 17 while yielding only one run and one walk in 12 innings.

Career Transactions

New York Mets activated RHP Paul Blackburn.
Oakland Athletics traded RHP Paul Blackburn to New York Mets for RHP Kade Morris.
Oakland Athletics activated RHP Paul Blackburn from the 60-day injured list.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas Aviators.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Stockton Ports.
Oakland Athletics transferred RHP Paul Blackburn from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
Oakland Athletics placed RHP Paul Blackburn on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 11, 2024. Stress reaction of the fifth metatarsal of his right foot.
Oakland Athletics activated RHP Paul Blackburn from the 15-day injured list.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas Aviators.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas Aviators.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Las Vegas Aviators.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Stockton Ports.
Oakland Athletics sent RHP Paul Blackburn on a rehab assignment to Stockton Ports.
Oakland Athletics placed RHP Paul Blackburn on the 15-day injured list retroactive to March 27, 2023. Right middle fingernail avulsion.