Scott Moviel

Scott Moviel (born May 7, 1988 in ) is a right-handed pitching prospect for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball.

Biography

Scott Moviel was born in Lakeland, Ohio on May 7, 1988. He was raised in Berea, Ohio. Moviel has three older brothers, all of whom have connections to the sports world. His brothers Greg and Paul Moviel are both pitchers who have pitched in other major league organization’s farm systems; Greg with the Seattle Mariners and Paul with the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago White Sox. Another brother, Dan, was a starting left tackle at Youngstown State during Jim Tressel’s tenure.

Moviel attended St. Edward High School where he played both basketball and baseball, and was recruited in both sports by NCAA Division I colleges, until his senior year when he gave up basketball to focus on baseball. Prior to being selected by the New York Mets with the 77th overall pick in the 2nd round of the 2007 First Year Player draft, which was also the first nationally televised Major League Baseball draft, Moviel planned to attend and pitch for North Carolina State University, as well as attempting to walk on to their basketball team. After being selected, however, he decided to forgo college for the minors.

Scouting report

Moviel is a 6 ft 10 in245 lb right-hander. His pitch repertoire includes a fastball, which he throws in the low 90s, a sinker, which also sits in the low 90s, a change-up that sits in the high 70s and low 80s, and a curve ball that sits in the high 70s. Because of his size, Moviel has trouble repeating his delivery and maintaining his mechanics, which can cause control issues. Moviel is considered a project prospect with high upside, because of his size and arm strength which could possibly allow great improvement in the velocity on his pitches, if a team can get him to pull everything together.

Minor leagues

2007

One June 10, 2007, 13 days after being drafted, Moviel agreed to a contract with a $414,000 signing bonus. He arrived in St. Lucie with fellow early round Mets pitching picks Eddie Kunz (42nd overall pick) and Nathan Vineyard (47th overall pick). Kunz, who is 6' 6" himself, described "feeling tiny" as though he had arrived in a "land of giants". Moviel made his minor league debut with the Mets rookie level Gulf Coast League affiliate, the GCL Mets, on June 21 against the GCL Nationals. He pitched one inning and allowed one run. Between June 26 and July 14, Moviel threw 13 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. Only July 14, 2007 Moviel pitched 3 innings, striking out 3 batters, as one of 8 pitchers who contributed to the GCL Mets no hitting the GCL Cardinals. Moviel spent his entire 2007 season with the GCL Mets, ending the season with 12 starts a 3.38 ERA with 37 strikeouts, 11 walks, and a 1.40 WHIP in 40 innings pitched and with an 0–2 record.

2008

Moviel began the 2008 season with the Mets Class A-Short Season affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats. Prior to the start of the season Baseball America ranked Moviel as the Mets #8 prospect on their post Johan Santana trade Mets top ten. . Moviel began the 2008 season with the Mets Class A-Short Season affiliate, the Savannah Sand Gnats. He began the season poorly, ending April with a 1-4 record, a 9.68 ERA and a 2.00 WHIP in five starts. He rebounded from his poor start however to finish his season with the Sand Gnats with a 9-8 record, a 4.42 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 120 innings and 24 starts. Near the end of the season he was moved up to class A+ where he made his last start of his first full professional season with the St. Lucie Mets, where Moviel went 5 innings, allowed no earned runs, struck out 3 batters and gave up one walk.

During the 2008 season the Sand Gnats pitching coach, Sam Hurst, worked with Moviel on improving his mechanics and delivery in order to improve his arm action. Moviel also adapted the grips on his pitches in order to give himself more control over each one. .

In December 2008, Kevin Goldstein of the publication Baseball Prospectus ranked Moviel as a Two Star prospect and the 11th best in the Mets' farm system. Goldstein said Moviel "could be outstanding," but that it would require a lot of "wishcasting," pointing out that, "not all your wishes come true."

Minor league statistics

Stats are correct as of the end of the 2008 season.

Stats are correct as of the end of the 2008 season.