Cole Hamels

2013

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2012

Hamels firmly established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game last season, improving on his already excellent numbers from 2010. He has one of the best change-ups in the game and an improving cutter and curveball to keep hitters off balance. Hamels saw a bit of a dip in his K/9IP last year, but that may have been a trade off for improved control, as he posted the lowest walk rate of his career. Hamels did have some luck on his side last year, however, and his .265 BABIP is due for a correction this year. He also missed a little time with elbow inflammation last season but pitched well upon his return and never reported any recurrence of discomfort. He underwent surgery for a hernia after the regular season and is expected to be ready for spring training.

2011

Before last season we told you that Hamels' 2009 numbers looked poor on the surface but that the underlying metrics indicated he was in line for a bounce-back season. Hamels lived up to our expectations and rewarded owners that took a chance on him with a career-high 211 strikeouts and a career-low 3.06 ERA. Hamels' success was due in part to the addition of a cut fastball to his arsenal and improvement with his curveball, which gave him two additional pitches to use besides relying his excellent changeup to keep hitters off balance. Hamels also rededicated himself in the offseason and was able to avoid the meltdown innings that plagued him in 2009. Draft him with confidence as Hamels is only 27 years old so the best may be yet to come.

2010

On the surface, Hamels had a pretty poor 2009 season. He began the year with some arm soreness and then managed only 10 wins pitching for one of the best offensive clubs in the majors, while seeing his ERA go from 3.09 in 2008 to 4.32 last season. Those are not the numbers you would expect from a guy who was supposed to take it to the next level to become a fantasy ace. A closer look at Hamels' numbers reveals that 2009 really wasn't all that different from 2008. His strikeout rate, walk rate and home-run rate all remained about the same as what he posted in his 2008 season. The difference? Some bad luck. Hamels' BABIP was .325 last season, compared to just .270 in 2008. We expect that to normalize this season and settle in closer to .300 which will have a positive effect on his ERA. Consider Hamels' disappointing numbers as an opportunity to buy at a discount in 2010.

2009

Hamels was everything and more for the owners who drafted him last season, as he turned into one of the game's premier arms. He finished 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 196 strikeouts over the 227.1 innings he logged in his 33 starts, improving upon his 2007 numbers in every category other than wins and losses. Hamels had already cemented himself as a top-tier fantasy starter for 2009 following his 2008 regular season and did nothing but improve his value with a phenomenal postseason, ending up with a 4-0 record, a 1.80 ERA and a sub-1.00 WHIP to go along with 30 strikeouts in 35 innings and the title of World Series MVP. The breakout campaign will undoubtedly make him one of the most coveted starting pitchers on the board in drafts this spring.

2008

Hamels has one of the game's best changeups and will be the Phillies' ace for a long time if he can remain healthy. That's the only real concern with Hamels, as he has had back and shoulder problems during his brief career. Last season, he missed more than a month with a sore elbow, but he still managed to have a breakout season en route to 15-win campaign. The numbers are a hint of the upside, just be aware of the injury potential and draft a safer option or two for your rotation if the price isn't right for Hamels on draft day.

2007

Hamels remarkably ascended from low-A at the start of the year to throwing 132 quality innings for the Phillies by the end. A hot prospect who had been dogged by injuries, he came to Philly in May and threw a few good games before missing time with shoulder soreness. He returned in June but was inconsistent until the second half, when he went 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 14 starts. He fanned 10 Marlins on September 22nd, all on his outstanding changeup. As the saying goes, all he needs to do is stay healthy.

2006

Hamels has been injury prone since being drafted in 2002, missing time with shoulder (2003), triceps (2004), hand and back (2005) problems. His back was still bothering him over the winter and the word is it might be a concern for the rest of his career. He remains a top prospect in the Phillies chain, however, because of his talent and their lack of quality arms. When healthy he deals a low-90s fastball, an outstanding changeup and a decent curve. The Phillies are still very high on Hamels, but his inexperience and lack of durability make him a risky bet.

2005

Aside from four good starts in Single-A, this excellent lefty prospect missed most of 2004 with a sore elbow and triceps. Hamels didn't need surgery and the Phillies attributed that to a cautious approach with what they described as a minor injury. But we won't know for sure until he pitches again. When healthy, Hamels mixes an explosive fastball with a good curveball and an outstanding changeup. He will start 2005 back in high Single-A and hopes to hit the majors some time in 2006.

2004

Hamels was named the best pitching prospect in the Phillies' organization and is one of the best in the minors. He moved up from low Single-A Lakewood to high Single-A Clearwater. For 2003 he finished with a sparkling 0.84 ERA along with a 115:25 K:BB ratio at Lakewood in 74.2 innings, and followed up at Clearwater with a 2.73 ERA and a 32:14 K:BB ratio. He might start at Double-A Reading in 2004, along with Gavin Floyd.

2003

Hamels might have been the best pitcher in the 2002 draft but he fell to 17th overall because of concerns over a broken pitching arm in his high school sophomore year. The break, although not pitching related, was enough of a concern that many clubs passed. The 19-year-old San Diego native can get his fastball into the mid-90’s, but tends to work in the lower figures. This could change as he gets stronger, and adds weight to his 185 pound frame. He's shown excellent control of a curveball, and his change up is highly developed considering his age and lack of experience. 2003 should find him in Low-A Lakewood at some point, and it’s possible he’ll move quickly in 2004.