RHP Ty Madden

Ty Madden Scouting Report

Physical Description: Ideal pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-3, with broad shoulders that make him look larger than he actually is. Still plenty of room to add bulk to his upper body. The Tigers altered his mechanics in pro ball to eliminate a heavy spine tilt and drop his arm slot from nearly over-the-top to more of a traditional three-quarter angle. He added a more pronounced leg lift to his windup prior to the 2023 season. Madden is not a particularly fluid athlete, and his delivery feels a bit segmented.

Fastball: 50

Velocity sits in the 93-95 MPH range, but will fluctuate from 91 to 98 in some outings. Gets an average number of swings and misses with it, particularly just above the zone, but it also gets hit very hard if he doesn’t locate it to the edges.

Slider: 50

Madden’s most used secondary offering, the slider sits in the 82-84 MPH range with short horizontal break and good depth. It will flash as an above-average or even plus pitch during games and get him a good amount of swings and misses, but the shape is inconsistent and it often catches too much of the plate.

Cutter: 50

It can be hard to distinguish Madden’s slider and cutter, because both pitches can see their velocity fluctuate 8-10 MPH. The best versions of his cutter land in the upper 80s with short, late movement to his glove side, generating whiffs and weak contact.

Curve: 30

Madden’s 5th pitch in terms of usage and quality, his slow curve lives in the mid-70s with 11-to-5 shape and solid depth. It pops out of his hand immediately, but it’s primarily used as a first-pitch strike stealer.

Changeup: 40

Madden moved to more of a split-change grip before the 2024 season, and the pitch sits in the 82-84 MPH range with average sink and minimal fade.

Command: 40

Madden will flash solid-average command at times, showing some feel for locating his fastball at the top of the zone and his secondaries to the edges. But he struggles mightily to work horizontally with his fastball, and too often he seemingly loses command of his whole arsenal for multiple batters, leading to big innings filled with walks and hard contact on pitches over the heart of the plate.

Overall: Madden has a lot of the ingredients of a potential back-end starter at the MLB level. And once or twice a season he looks even better than that. He has a full arsenal of pitches, he holds his velocity deep into starts, and he has been durable throughout his college and pro career. But his entire profile threatens to unravel because of issues with command and consistency. Without improvement in those areas Madden is likely headed for a future in the bullpen, where he could grow into a solid middle reliever.

Updated 6/21/24