Ty
Madden

2021 MLB Draft: Standing at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Madden sits in the mid-90s with solid life and improving command. He has a high release point that can cause him to miss up in the zone. His primary offspeed pitch is a slider that sits in the mid 80s and is above average-to-plus at times. His low-80s changeup is also above average with some late sink. With an on-line, lower-effort delivery and loose arm action, he profiles as a starter, but will need to continue to improve the command of his stuff to reach his ceiling.

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, the long, strong-bodied right-hander took the bump in the opener against Mississippi State. Throwing easy bolts of heat up to 97 mph early in the game before settling in at 94-95, Madden’s fastball played down a grade from its velocity due to fair life and below average command. His fastball life was ordinary, not much sink or ride, and it likely had a middle-of-the-road spin rate or a spin direction in the dead zone; an area that hitters tend to see and make contact with really well. He’s a north/south pitcher with a high release point, one that can be prone to missing up in the zone. Madden also mixed in a slider and changeup, with the breaker his primary off speed selection on this look. It ranged from below average to slightly above at 83-86 mph and was inconsistent in both its location and shape. His low-80s change-of-pace flashed above average at times with some late sink. It’s a pitch he could have gone to a little more often to help slow down the Bulldogs’ bats. Because of his delivery he may be forced to go primarily with a sinker-slider combo if his spin rate and induced vertical break (IVB) aren't elite. With a high release point creating steep angle and backspin from the four-seamer, they work against each other with just an average spin rate. Without high spin to get the IVB, his high release is going to get more contact and ground balls. When his velo is high enough (96+) he'll get away with pitches and get swing/miss up in the zone at the college level, but not so much in the higher levels of pro ball without elite spin. When Madden loses spin and/or some velo on his fastball, it becomes very hittable, especially when left up in the zone. And without a hammer top-to-bottom curveball, he may benefit by morphing into a sinker/slider hurler. Or, at the very least, developing a two-seamer/sinker for use down in the zone, while relying on his four-seamer above the letters. Overall, it was not a top half of the first round type of performance by Madden, but that’s why the season is more than one start long and his entire career history will be used to make a decision on his ultimate draft value. He has plenty of time to live up to his top of the first round ranking. To do so, he will need to erase some of the industry’s feelings that he has a starting pitcher’s profile with a low effort, on-line delivery and loose arm action, but possesses more of a reliever’s pitchability that will likely not be able to navigate three times through an opponent’s lineup. With his current stuff and without elite command, Madden is likely to struggle in a rotation at the higher levels of pro ball.

Madden was ready to have a monster season when it came to an abrupt halt back in the spring. He put together a solid freshman campaign with a 3.40 ERA in 42.1 innings, but his strikeout to walk ratio wasn’t overwhelming at 37/24. With that said, Madden gained more strength in the offseason and more electric stuff followed along with it. The 6-foot-3, 215-pounder, made a statement early in 2020 by putting together a strong performance against Arkansas, where he struck out seven in six innings of work against Arkansas, which had one of the nation’s premier lineups. Madden sat 92-95 and up to 96 mph with his fastball against the Razorbacks, also showing a nasty, tailing slider at 83-85 mph. Madden threw a couple of show-me curveballs against the Hogs at 76-77 mph, while the changeup at 80-82 mph is a quality offering. Madden has a good-looking frame and the stuff will only continue to get better. He’s what I’d call a sure bet in the 2021 MLB draft.

10/14/18: The biggest velocity in the 14-inning scrimmage came from Longhorns righthander Ty Madden. A freshman from Cypress Falls High School in the Greater Houston Area, Madden touched 98 MPH during his one inning on the mound. The 6-3, 200-pound righty also touched 95, 96, and 97 MPH, so the heat wasn’t a fluke. He was rudely welcomed to college baseball, though, and learned an important lesson: velocity still needs command at the new competition level. He punched out two, and showed an inconsistent slider that flashed as a swing-and-miss weapon at 85 MPH. Madden also gave up two runs on two hits and two walks; as he searched for more control out of the stretch, he sat 91-95 MPH.

5.10.18  Madden had the Ridge Point hitters guessing all night in the first game of a three game set in the second round of the playoffs. His two-seam fastball was 87-89 with arm side run, while his four seamer was 90-94, topping out at 97 twice. His breaking ball was sharp with 11/5 break at 80-84 mph. His changeup had great arm side fade at 79-82. Dominant outing, allowed no runs on three hits, four walks in six innings while striking out eleven.

3.3.18 In the first game of the day, Cypress Ranch won 15-0 in 5 innings. Ty Madden went the distance not allowing a hit until giving up a single in the final frame. Standing 6-foot-3, 190-pounds with a long torso and proportional strength, Madden sat 90-92 for the early part of the game, and touched 93 mph and 94 mph in the first. Ripping the ball out of his mitt, late over the rubber, he ignites a fast arm swing that allows him to get on top of the ball from a high ¾ slot, and work downhill with a quick hand out front with little effort and a quieter head. Although his slider has been the secondary pitch most talked about in the past, it backed up some on the day at 81-84, and his changeup took centerstage. Exhibiting almost screwball-type darting action to the arm side, Madden toyed with hitters while throwing the pitch with fastball arm speed at 80-84. It was a swing and miss offering on the day, and looked to have a chance to be a real weapon moving forward. The game lost its luster early on as the Cypress Ranch bats thrived, and at times Madden worked too fast while trying to usher the game along. This caused him to throw away some pitches, and though he is far from unpolished, Madden looked to be more of an athlete than a pitcher on the day, but the blow out definitely played a part. At any point that he found himself in “trouble”, he was able to reach for a second gear. His frame promises much more to come, and with the way that his changeup has developed, he will have a strong chance to continue as a starter at higher levels.

2.24.18 Madden appears to added strength to his 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame, since the last time we saw him. The right-hander works from a high slot with a loose arm and quick hand out front, landing closed. His fastball was 88-91 for most of his outing. Throws a hard slider with short late downward bite at 79-83 mph. Does a nice job of staying on top of the pitch, giving it the look of a fastball at release, when he misses with it, he misses down. Mixed in a solid changeup with arm side fade and depth at 78-84 mph.

06.26.17 - 6-foot-3, 180-pound, lean, long-limbed, projectable frame. The right-hander works from an over the top slot with his fastball ranging from 89-92 mph during the game. His slider was 80 mph in the bullpen with late downward bite and his changeup was 82 mph.

03.28.17 - Rice recruit. 6-foot-3, 180-pound, projectable, high-waisted frame. Madden, who is currently ranked No. 6 in Texas 2018 Class Rankings, gave his Cy Ranch Mustangs another quality start on Tuesday night. The junior went seven innings, allowing no earned runs on two hits, two walks, and five punchouts. However, the two unearned runs he allowed would prove to be the difference in the game, as Madden and the Mustangs would take the hard luck loss. The right-hander works from a high slot with an easy delivery and medium arm stroke. In the first inning, his fastball ranged from 91-93 mph with steep, downward angle. Madden settled in to the 90-91 mph range for the next three innings, dropping into the 87-88 mph range out of the stretch. His curveball was 78-81 mph with tight spin, late bite and 12-6 shape. Madden was able to spin his curveball for strikes and bounce it with two strikes. He threw his changeup with fastball arm speed at 80 mph. The pitch has more depth than fade, but is still a viable third pitch. The junior was able to produce ten ground ball outs, mixing all three pitches at times, but working mostly off of his fastball.

10.23.16
Flashed premium present velocity with, it seams, more to dream on as he begins to fill into his 6-foot-3, 175-pound frame. Madden came in relief for Indians Scout Team, working from a high-¾ arm slot with short arm action, the projectable right-hander was bumping 90-92 mph on his fastball. His curveball had sharp, late, downward action at 82-83 mph.