RHP Jordan Marks, 8th round (225th overall), Signed $150,000, Detroit Tigers
RHP Jordan Marks
Hometown: Bright’s Grove, Ont.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Height/Weight: 6’ 2” 220 lbs.
Scout: Bryson Barber
Slot Money: $190,100
School: University of South Carolina Upstate Spartans.
Coach: Mike McGuire
Previous Teams: Great Lake Canadians, Sarnia Braves.
Previous Coaches: Shane Davis, Tom Arnold, Jeff Helps, Brock Kjeldgaard, Derek Bloomfield, Adam Stern, Chris Robinson and Kirk Barclay, Greg Groulx and John Marks.
Good genes: Mom Kelly did figure skating and cheerleading in high school, while father John played baseball, hockey, and football in high school. Both attended St. Clair Secondary School, before mom attended University of Western Ontario while dad went to Lambton College.
Most famous hometown resident (Bright’s Grove population - 4,693): Golfer Mike Weir, who Marks has never met.
Second most famous hometown resident: Astronaut Chris Hadfield, the first Canadian to walk in space.
The most influential people in his baseball life besides my father: “Probably my two brothers, Jake and Jesse. They both pitched college ball in the United States. Jake (Sarnia Braves, Team Ontario and for the Team Canada Junior National Team) pitched for the University of Maine Black Bears. Jesse (Sarnia Braves, Great Lake Canadians) pitched for the Adrian College Bulldogs. Growing up, watching them pitch, and seeing their work ethic shaped how I carry myself today. They paved a way for me, and showed me the right way to do things, and I don’t think I would be where I’m at today without them.”
On other lists: 150th on Baseball Amercia’s top 500 (down one spot … 149th on Baseball America’s top 500 (June 15), down 34 spots … Baseball America’s and Perfect Game’s 3rd highest prospect of top 26 in state of South Carolina … 115th on Baseball America’s top 400 (May 3) ... 196th on MLB Pipeline’s list of top prospects (May 19) ... No. 4 prospect in Perfect Game’s Big South pre-season conference rating … 396th on Prospects Live’s top 500 (Sept. 10, 2020)
Scouting Reports
Baseball America
150. Jordan Marks
Last 149
Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 220 | B-T: L-R
Age At Draft: 22.2
Fastball: 55 | Slider: 45 | Change up: 50 | Control: 60
BA Grade: 40 | Risk: High
Marks has been a terrific strike thrower for South Carolina-Upstate for four years, with a 2.0 BB/9 rate for his career. The Canadian native had a strong 2021 campaign, posting a 2.54 ERA over 15 starts and 95.2 innings, with 101 strikeouts (9.5 K/9) and 20 walks (1.9 BB/9). Listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Marks has a simple, repeatable delivery with a bit of head whack and a balanced finish. He pitches mostly in the 90-94 mph range with his fastball but has been up to 97-98 mph with the pitch this spring. While his fastball is a solid pitch that he can locate to any quadrant of the zone, Marks’ secondary offerings are a bit fringy. He throws a 78-82 mph slider that has moderate shape and depth, but the pitch lacks late or hard biting action and doesn’t feature much tilt. It’s gotten some whiffs against Big South competition, but likely because he spots the pitch well to his glove side and can mirror it well off his fastball more than any direct qualities of the breaking ball itself. Like the rest of his pitches, Marks shows good feel to land a low-80s change up that is effective down and to his arm side, with good running life out of the zone that’s gotten whiffs against righties and lefties. How those secondaries play against professional hitters will determine how much upside Marks has, but his outstanding command and a fastball that’s gotten into the upper 90s should make him an attractive pick on the second day of the draft.
MLB Pipeline
202. Jordan Marks RHP,
AGE 22 DOB 04/29/1999
BATS L THROWS R
HT 6’ 2” WT 220
Scouting Grades/Report
(20-80 grading scale)
FASTBALL 50 SLIDER 50 CHANGE 55 CONTROL 60
OVERALL 40
While he has thrown strikes since he arrived at South Carolina-Upstate from Canada, Marks didn’t start to thrive until his velocity picked up in 2020. His stuff has continued to get stronger this spring as he has set school records for wins and strikeouts in a single season. He’ll definitely become the second player in school history selected in the top 10 rounds and could go as high as the first, big leaguer Chad Sobotka, who was a fourth-rounder by the Braves in 2014.
Marks’ fastball has progressed from averaging 87 mph in 2019 to 90 mph a year ago to 92 mph this season, topping out at 98 as he mixes four-seamers up in the zone and two-seamers down. His heater plays better than its velocity because of his ability to locate it, as does his vastly improved 79-82 mph slider, which can get slurvy but has locked up right-handers in 2021. He has good feel for a fading 79-82 mph change up that elicits more swings and misses than his other offerings.
Marks has a simple, effortless delivery that he repeats with ease, allowing him to put his pitches where he wants and maintain the quality of his stuff deep into games. Though he lacks a plus pitch, there are teams who believe his command could make him a back-of-the-rotation starter. If not, he could carve out a role as a middle reliever who pounds the strike zone.
Prospects Live
Fastball really peaking in his Junior year at Upstate. Toucihing 96. Marks has plus command for his pitches and an easy motion to the plate. He’s a big-bodied arm who gets down the mound really easily. Works in a changeup and breaking ball that is average.
2021 spring season at USC Upstate as a senior: Went 10-2 with a 2.54 ERA walking 20 and striking out 101 in 95 2/3 innings ... Faced 13 men, retired five against Gardner-Webb in Big South tourney … Recorded wins over Toledo (six innings, zero earned), Charleston (6 2/3 innings, one run), Campbell (seven scoreless), Winthrop (6 2/3 scoreless), Radford (7 2/3 innings, one run), Charleston Southern (nine-inning shut out, 110 pitches), Longwood (eight innings, one run), Presbyterian (seven innings, one run) and High Point (six innings, three runs) as he broke two records: his fourth strikeout of the night in the fifth inning gave him the school record for strikeouts in a single season, surpassing Tyler Jackson (2016) and Matt Branham (2010) on the all-time list with 87 and additionally, with his league-best ninth win of the season, Marks broke a 31-year-old school record for wins in a single season ... In his final regular season start against UNC Asheville (six innings, two runs) he recorded his 100th strikeout of the season in the fifth inning on the way to earn his league-best 10th win of the season ... With the victory he became the all-time wins leader in Upstate’s history with 21 career wins, passing Scott Eckard’s old mark.
2020 spring season at USC Upstate as a junior: Was 3-1 with a 1.75 ERA, walking three and striking out 29 in 25 2/3 innings ... Wins over Long Island (7 1/3 scoreless), Monmouth (seven innings, three unearned runs) and Western Kentucky (six innings, two runs) ... Lost Western Carolina (three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
2019 summer season with Newport Gulls in New England summer college league: Was 2-1 with 5.13 ERA walking eight and striking out 47 in nine games ... Had a scoreless four-inning save in post-season play.
2019 spring season at USC Upstate as a sophomore: Started 15 games with a 6-7 record and a 4.44 ERA. He walked 24 and struck out 64 in 79 innings. He allowed 84 hits, 39 earned runs and opponents owned a .258 batting average against him ... Marks’ had a season-high nine strikeouts on against Longwood ... Recorded his first win of the season against Rutgers a 1-0 decision. He pitched six innings with four hits, a walk, and six strikeouts ... As for team rankings: 4th in ERA (4.44), 5th in opposing batting average (.258), 1st in wins (6), innings pitched (79), strikeouts (64), and started (15) ... Finished season ranked in the Top 10 of several Big South categories: innings, strikeouts, batters struck out looking and wins.
2018 summer with the Lima Locos of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League: Had 34 strikeouts in 31 innings, walked just nine.
2018 spring season at USC Upstate as a freshman: Made 15 appearances on the year, 12 of which were starts, pitching 57 2/3 innings with a 6.40 ERA.
Honours: 2021 season _ Big South Pitcher of the Year … All-time wins leader in program history with 21, breaking 31-year-old school record for wins in a single season besting Scott Eckard’s school record (20) ... With his fourth strikeout against High Point he broke the school record for strikeouts in a single season, surpassing Tyler Jackson (2016) and Matt Branham (2010) on the all-time list with 87 ... Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List … Four times he was Big South Pitcher of the Week ... 2020 season _ Earned Canadian Baseball Network all-Canadian College Third Team honors ...2019 spring _ Big South All-Academic Team ... 2018 summer _ Earned All-Star status with Lima Locos of the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.
Alexis Brudnicki: Marks Might Be The Best Pitcher You Haven’t Heard About Yet
Alexis Brudnicki: Marks wins inaugural GLC Commitment Award
Mark Malone: Pitcher Marks bound for the mound