Madison Bumgarner

Madison Bumgarner (born August 1, 1989) is a left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants farm system. He was selected 10th overall by the Giants in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft. Bumgarner is listed 6'4" and 215 pounds and has a fastball that has been clocked between 89-95 MPH. He is currently pitching for the Augusta Greenjackets, the Giants' Low-A minor league affiliate. 2008 is his first year playing as a professional.

Bumgarner was drafted out of South Caldwell High School in Hudson, North Carolina. Going into the draft, Baseball America had ranked him as the fourteenth best prospect overall. He was the first high school pitcher to be selected by the Giants with their first pick since Matt Cain in 2002, the first left-handed pitcher selected in the first round by the organization since Noah Lowry in 2001, the first left-handed pitcher taken as the first pick by the organization since Mike Remlinger in 1987, and the first high-school left-hander the Giants drafted in the first round since Frank Riccelli in 1971.In 2008, Baseball America ranked him the third best prospect in the Giants organization. "Mad Bum" is occasionally criticized for relying too much on his fastball and seeking to dominate low-minors hitters instead of developing into a complete pitcher.

References

* [http://ww2.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/draft_report/y2007/index.jsp?mc=bumgarner Minorleaguebaseball.com 2007 Draft Report]
* [http://mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070607&content_id=2011321&vkey=draft2007&fext=.jsp Giants go young in Draft's first round]
* [http://www.greenjacketsbaseball.com/team/roster/index.html?player_id=41 Augusta Greenjackets Profile]
* [http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/features/265340.html Baseball America Top 10 Prospects List]