| |
Physical Description: Short,
stocky frame. Average build with minimal remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from an over-the-top arm
slot. Max-effort delivery. Starts on the third base side of the
rubber and doesn't use a windup. Very quick arm. Short, stiff
arm action behind. Hides the ball well.
Fastball:
92-96 mph. Topped out at 99 mph in college. Sat 94-96 mph after
signing in 2018, but velo was down in 2019, often sitting 91-93
and only occasionally touching 96. Reportedly was still sitting
in the low-90s in spring training 2020, but velocity started to
creep back up at the Fall Instructional League to 92-95,
touching 96. At its best, the pitch explodes out of his hand and
has late life, making it tough to square up. Club had him work
on locating the pitch up in the zone early in 2019 after he had
focused on locating it down in the zone in college and in 2018
pro debut. After struggling through the adjustment, particularly
with his command and needing to sacrifice velocity to locate the
pitch, he returned to locating it lower in the zone near the end
of the season, with improved results. Command still needs
improvement and is inconsistent from outing to outing. Potential
plus offering.
Slider: 85-87 mph. True
power breaking ball. Pitch shows hard bite and depth though the
zone. Gets over it well and finishes the pitch. Able to throw in
the zone or get hitters to chase it out of the zone. Lost feel
for the pitch early in 2019, causing him to lean on his
curveball more often, but returned to the pitch later in the
year. Even though it is inconsistent, pitch still had an
above-average whiff rate. Potential above-average pitch with the
ability to miss bats at the highest level, but inconsistency in
2019 makes it seem much less likely the pitch will consistently
grade out that high.
|
|
Curveball: 80-82 mph. Good change of pace from
his slider as it comes in with different shape and in a
different velocity band. Began relying on the pitch more in
early 2019 when he lost feel for his slider, but leaned more on
the slider later in the year. At 2020 Fall Instructs, he used it
effectively and was able to get swinging strikes with it.
Potential average pitch.
Career Notes:
Closed for TCU all three years of college, tying the school’s
career saves record (32) and setting the school’s single-season
mark in 2017. Was ranked a consensus top 100 player in the 2018
draft and was projected by many to be the fastest player in the
draft to make the majors, even as soon as the end of the 2018
season, based on his fastball-slider combination. Moved quickly
through the low minors after being drafted in 2018, pitching
just 23 1/3 innings across three levels before beginning 2019 in
Portland. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2018,
2019, and 2020.
Summation: Potential
middle reliever. Ceiling of a late-inning reliever, but 2019
struggles make it seem less likely he will reach that ceiling.
Both fastball and slider show above-average potential at their
best. Curveball has developed into a nice compliment as well to
give hitters another look. Needs to regain his fastball
velocity. Fastball command will also be key to development going
forward, as well as whether he gets comfortable throwing it up
in the zone.
Links
Scouting Scratch 8.8.2018
Scouting Report Update 6.16.2020
Scout Chatter (11.30.2020)
Scouting Report Updates (3.1.21) |
|
