Shawn Armstrong

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #31 prospect in 2017
  Armstrong overcame some injuries early in his career, and has pitched effectively out of the bullpen since the Indians drafted him in 2011. He made his major league debut in 2015 and was called up to Cleveland a few times the following season. Armstrong primarily attacks hitters with his fastball-slider combination. His fastball has peaked in the upper-90s, but he typically sits more in the low- to mid-90s. He throws his slider nearly as hard, giving it bite and making it act like a cut fastball. He also occasionally mixes in a curveball against lefthanded batters. He has some crossfire in his delivery, hampering his control. Armstrong has experience closing in the minor leagues, but he profiles better as a middle reliever in the major leagues. He will head into 2017 competing for a job in the big league bullpen, and if he doesn't break camp with the team will likely be one of the first pitchers called upon.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #21 prospect in 2016
  Armstrong battled injuries early in his career, including labrum surgery while he was in high school. He has pitched effectively out of the bullpen since the Indians drafted him in 2011, and made his major league debut in 2015. Armstrong primarily attacks hitters with his sinker/slider combination. His fastball sits in the mid-90s, occasionally touching as high as 98 mph. At its best, his slider has a hard bite and acts like a cut fastball. He also occasionally mixes in a curveball against lefthanded batters. He has some crossfire to his delivery, and his control is inconsistent as a result. Armstrong served as closer at Triple-A Columbus in 2015 and Double-A Akron in 2014, but he profiles better as a middle reliever in the major leagues. He will go to 2016 spring training competing for a job in the big league bullpen, and if he doesn't break camp with the team will likely be one of the first pitchers called upon when a need arises.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #23 prospect in 2015
  Armstrong has battled injuries on and off for years but looks to be finally closing in on the majors. Back to full strength in 2014, Armstrong excelled as closer at Double-A Akron and earned a spot on the 40-man roster. Armstrong doesn't lack for arm strength, running his fastball up to 96 mph and pitching in the low 90s. Getting his delivery more online to the plate helped him improve his fastball command and slash his walk rate from 5.7 per nine innings in 2013 to 3.5 a year later. He complements his heater with a cutter and a slider, which are essentially shorter and bigger versions of the same pitch, and both can get swings and misses. He still has a changeup as part of his arsenal but seldom throws it. Armstrong figures to start 2015 at Triple-A Columbus and should be an option for the big league pen if things go well.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #29 prospect in 2014
  Armstrong went into the spring of 2008 as the top high school pitcher in North Carolina, but a sore arm diminished his velocity and he turned down the Astros as a 33rd-round pick to go to East Carolina. An up-and-down junior season for the Pirates saw his draft stock fall again, and he lasted until the 18th round in 2011 when Cleveland snagged him. Armstrong finally seemed to put it all together in 2012, but a hand injury set him back in 2013. He tried to return too quickly and his velocity didn't come all the way back until the end of the year. After pitching at 88-91 mph early on, he was back up to the low 90s with sink in the fall, touching 96. Armstrong has a usable hard slider that rates as his best secondary pitch, and he can also throw a cutter and a changeup to attack lefthanded hitters. He's got a physical frame, and he tweaked his delivery to incorporate his lower half and stay more on line to the plate, helping his velocity pick up. Armstrong throws slightly across his body, and he needs to repeat his delivery more consistently. After posting a 1.59 ERA in the Arizona Fall League, he'll try to keep that momentum going as he returns to Double-A Akron in 2014. Armstrong could be a middle relief option for Cleveland in the near future if things come together.
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  Ranked Cleveland Guardians #20 prospect in 2013
  Armstrong was North Carolina's top high school pitcher going into 2008, but a sore arm dropped his fastball from the low 90s to the high 80s. He chose to go to East Carolina rather than sign with the Astros as a 33rd-round pick, signing with the Indians three years later for $325,000 as an 18th-rounder. He has a 1.55 ERA as a pro and finished his first full season in Double-A, thanks to sneaky stuff that misses bats. Armstrong's fastball now parks in the low 90s and touches 95. He gets great extension, providing deception and generating swings and misses with his fastball. He throws a tight mid-80s slider that's inconsistent but can be an out pitch when he gets ahead in the count. He uses an occasional changeup that's just a show-me pitch. The key for Armstrong will be throwing more strikes, as he's averaged 4.8 walks per nine innings as a pro. If he improves his control, he could fit as a middle reliever and get a shot at a major league job in 2014.