Evan Frederickson, a first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers last month, will celebrate the Fourth of July by making his first Class A start with the West Virginia Power.

A 6-foot-6, 240-pound left-hander drafted out of the University of San Francisco, Frederickson will take the mound for today's 4:05 p.m. game with the Hagerstown Suns.

Power pitching coach John Curtis likes what he sees of Frederickson, who was the 35th overall pick in the draft as a supplemental first-round compensation selection. Frederickson, 21, was promoted from the Brewers' rookie Pioneer League team in Helena, Mont., after just three starts.

"I just got my first look at him the other day during a bullpen session," Curtis said. "I've been listening to the reports from Helena, where he did very well, which is why he's here."

In three starts at Helena, Frederickson did not figure in any decisions but posted a 3.09 ERA. He struck out 16 in 112/3 innings, allowed 13 hits and walked five.

"He's got good size, throws a good fastball - probably in the low 90s [mph] - a slider and changeup," Curtis said. "He's got some good sink to his fastball."

Curtis said Frederickson, just a little more than a month removed from college, will take Mike Ramlow's spot in the Power starting rotation, with Ramlow shifting back to the bullpen.

"He'll be a starter the rest of the year, absolutely, but we'll bring him along slowly," Curtis said. "You've got to remember, a kid like this coming out of college probably pitched one day a week."

At USF this spring, Frederickson went 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA. He recorded 109 strikeouts in just 751/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.

Evan Frederickson, a first-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Brewers last month, will celebrate the Fourth of July by making his first Class A start with the West Virginia Power.

A 6-foot-6, 240-pound left-hander drafted out of the University of San Francisco, Frederickson will take the mound for today's 4:05 p.m. game with the Hagerstown Suns.

Power pitching coach John Curtis likes what he sees of Frederickson, who was the 35th overall pick in the draft as a supplemental first-round compensation selection. Frederickson, 21, was promoted from the Brewers' rookie Pioneer League team in Helena, Mont., after just three starts.

"I just got my first look at him the other day during a bullpen session," Curtis said. "I've been listening to the reports from Helena, where he did very well, which is why he's here."

In three starts at Helena, Frederickson did not figure in any decisions but posted a 3.09 ERA. He struck out 16 in 112/3 innings, allowed 13 hits and walked five.

"He's got good size, throws a good fastball - probably in the low 90s [mph] - a slider and changeup," Curtis said. "He's got some good sink to his fastball."

Curtis said Frederickson, just a little more than a month removed from college, will take Mike Ramlow's spot in the Power starting rotation, with Ramlow shifting back to the bullpen.

"He'll be a starter the rest of the year, absolutely, but we'll bring him along slowly," Curtis said. "You've got to remember, a kid like this coming out of college probably pitched one day a week."

At USF this spring, Frederickson went 5-3 with a 4.54 ERA. He recorded 109 strikeouts in just 751/3 innings while holding opposing hitters to a .216 batting average.

Curtis said Frederickson will be limited to 80 pitches today.

"We're gonna nurture him, we don't want to break him down," he said. "We'll take it easy on him early on. I'm in a watch-and-wait position like everyone else."

Frederickson was drafted out of high school in Oak Hill, Va., in the 27th round by the Minnesota Twins in 2005 but opted for college ball at Virginia Tech.

"I was supposed to go before [the 27th round], but you never know how the process works," Frederickson said. "Once I fell to the 27th round I never really considered going [to the Twins], because I knew I was better than that. Going to college turned out to be a good decision."

But going to Virginia Tech, apparently, was not. After two seasons in Blacksburg, he transferred to USF.

"I just never really got in a good rhythm pitching-wise [at Virginia Tech]," he said. "I liked everything about the school, I just wasn't pitching how I knew I was capable. I found a new school, and a pitching coach I liked."

Frederickson credits USF pitching coach Greg Moore with his development.

"He helped me a lot with every aspect of pitching, physical and mental," he said.

Reach Nick Scala at 348-7947 or nsc...@wvgazette.com.