Funkhouser was the 35^th overall pick in 2015 after his junior season at the University of Louisville, though he never came to terms with the Dodgers. He slid to the fourth round a year later after an up-and-down senior spring. A shoulder impingement landed him on the IL in May. I saw the 25-year-old pitch in Double-A during a rehab assignment in the Eastern League this June before he headed back to Triple-A.

Listed at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Funkhouser’s sturdy frame doesn’t have projection left but is very strong. His delivery is simple and repeatable.  The fastball is his most effective and heavily- used pitch.  It sat between 90-to-92 mph in the early innings, before ramping up to the 93-to-95 mph range later in the game. His fastball doesn’t have much lateral movement, but its carry through the zone still generates swinging strikes. Funkhouser can locate his heater to all four quadrants of the strike zone.  He pitches with two breaking balls, a slider and curve. His mid-80s slider was used to get whiffs when up in the count, grading as an average offering. He wrinkled a true curveball at 80 mph for get-me-over strikes. Funkhouser also throws a changeup, sitting at 83-to-86 mph with inconsistent action. Its less advanced than his fastball or slider but shows flashes. Funkhouser’s ability to sequence his pitches and leave some fastball velocity in the tank for the later innings demonstrates a strong pitching IQ.

Funkhouser is polished and close to being able to help in the big leagues. Though there isn’t much ceiling, his ability to control a deep mix of pitches gives the upside of a FV 45 backend starter.