Fort Report: Mayer, Bleis shine on back fields

Red Sox prospects will be back playing real games exactly one week from today, as Worcester opens up the campaign on April 5. The SoxProspects.com brass has been down in Fort Myers for the past few days with video, updates, and an appearance on NESN. 

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From the Fort

Chris Hatfield, Ian Cundall, and James Dunne have spent the past few days on the back fields in Fort Myers working hard on gathering video and updates on prospects. Marcelo Mayer, Boston's first pick in last year's draft, has lived up the hype so far with his performance on the back fields. Mayer has showed off his smooth left-handed stroke numerous times this spring, including a home run off Nathan Eovaldi. Mayer has even gotten a couple plate appearances in big league games, striking out and walking. He showed off some impressive discipline, laying off a few tough two-strike offerings to earn the free pass. 

Another offensive standout has been 18-year old Miguel Bleis. He won't be ranked 15th at SoxProspects.com for much longer, as the 2021 international free agent signing is primed to get a nice bump in the rankings before the season begins. Bleis displayed some very nice pop in 2021 in the DSL, racking up 11 extra-base hits, including four long balls, in just 36 games. In addition to his skills with the bat, Bleis has showed off what he can do on the bases as well this spring. He swiped seven bases in 2021. Here is some additional batting practice footage from Cundall. 

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Fort Report: Red Sox sign Trevor Story and spring training begins

Baseball is back as spring training action began in Jet Blue Stadium as well as continued on the backfields. Action is ramping up as the regular season for the Major League team will begin on April 7th. Despite the lockout, the minor league baseball calendar goes unchanged (unaffected by the CBA) which leads off with the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox opening their season on the road on April 5th.

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Red Sox sign infielder Trevor Story to six-year, $140 million deal

Obviously, the biggest news up and down the system this week was that the Red Sox and Chaim Bloom made the largest free-agent signing by the Red Sox since David Price in 2016, signing former Colorado shortstop Trevor Story. Current Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who has spent his entire professional career with the Red Sox since signing as an international free agent in 2009 out of Aruba,  is presumed to be the most affected. Bogaerts is expected to remain at shortstop in 2022, after which he has an opt-out clause in his contract. If he does not opt-out (unlikely due to the current market for shortstops), he would be signed with the team through 2026.

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Fort Report: Lockout ends, major-league spring training begins

On the same day Red Sox minor-league position players reported to spring training last Thursday, the MLB lockout finally ended, thus preserving a 162-game season in 2022. From the time the new collective bargaining agreement was ratified and the transaction freeze was lifted that night, there has been plenty of action across Major League Baseball before spring training games begin later this week. 

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12 minor-leaguers added to spring training roster

On Saturday, the Red Sox added 12 non-roster invitees to their 2022 spring training roster. The list of players added includes some of the top prospects in the organization such as first baseman Triston Casas (No. 1, pictured), left-hander Chris Murphy (No. 14), infielders David Hamilton (No. 26), Christian Koss (No. 31), and Ryan Fitzgerald (No. 38), right-handed reliever Durbin Feltman (No. 48), and catcher Kole Cottam (No. 56). 

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Scouting Report Updates: Brandon Howlett, Stephen Scott, Frank German and Hudson Potts

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on the players ranked 50-53 in the current SoxProspects Rankings: Brandon Howlett, Stephen Scott, Frank German and Hudson Potts. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

50. Brandon Howlett, Third base 

Physical Description: Strong, sturdy frame. Has some projection remaining in his upper body. Looks the part.

Hit: Starts vertical and open and utilizes a high leg kick. Average bat speed. Brings hands up and down during his load, which can cause his swing to get out of sync. Will take a walk, but has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game and has posted strikeout rates over 30 percent in full-season ball. Will expand the zone against breaking balls and struggles with velocity up in the zone due to the length in his swing. Potential below-average hit tool.

Power: Plus raw power. Potential average power in-game. Strong, has the ability to drive the ball, especially to the pull side. Ability to tap into power will be tested by inconsistent hit tool.

Run: Below-average speed. Not a major part of his game.

Field: Soft hands, below-average range. Fundamentally sound, professional defender and will make the plays on balls at him, but struggles when he has to move. Potential fringe-average defender.

Arm: Average arm strength. Not a stand-out arm, but strong and accurate enough for third base.

Career Notes: Was committed to Florida State before signing. Saw immediate gains in pitch recognition after being fitted for proper contact lenses after signing and had something of a breakout debut as a result. Participated in the Fall Instructional League in 2018 and 2020.

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Scouting Report Updates: 55-60 in the SoxProspects Rankings

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on the players ranked 55-60 (58th ranked prospect Wyatt Olds was featured in an earlier update) in the current SoxProspects Rankings.  These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

55. Luis De La Rosa, Right-handed pitcher 

Physical Description: Loose, athletic right-hander with room to add strength. Has already grown since signing and should continue to grow.

Mechanics: Very loose delivery with an easy arm action.

Fastball: 89-91 mph. Tops out in the low-90s. Needs to add velocity. Advanced control for someone his age, but command needs work.

Curveball: 77-79 mph. Good feel for the pitch and ability to spin it. Gets over the ball and can snap it off. Has shown the ability to throw pitch for strikes.

Changeup: 83-86 mph. On the firmer side, but has shown advanced ability to command the pitch for his age.

Slider: Reportedly also has a slider for which he has shown some feel.

Career Notes: Signed with the Royals for $147,500 when he turned 16 on July 6, 2018. Primarily played shortstop growing up, but converted to pitching shortly before signing. Was acquired as a player-to-be-named-later in the Andrew Benintendi trade. 2021 numbers are skewed heavily by a single, terrible outing (0.2 IP, 6 ER), as well as about a month missed at least in part due to rainouts on his scheduled starts.

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Scouting Report Updates: Brendan Cellucci and other 2021 Greenville relievers part two

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on the second group of relievers who spent time in Greenville last year, led by left-hander Brendan Cellucci . These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Brendan Cellucci, Left-handed pitcher 

Physical Description: Tall left-hander with a strong frame. Minimal remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws over the top. Max-effort delivery. Very quick arm. Stiff, vertical delivery. Medium leg kick. Rigid, deceptive arm action. Keeps arm behind before coming forward. Violent head whack, is looking at third base when he releases the ball. Falls off hard to the glove side.

Fastball: 93-95 mph. Tops out at 97. Live fastball that has shown the ability to miss bats. Ball jumps on hitters. In the early stages of developing command and control, both currently well-below average. Potential plus pitch.

Curveball: 83-86 mph. Short, vertical break. Plus spin rate. At its best, shows depth and bite. Still developing consistency with the pitch. Potential above-average offering.

Changeup: 85-87 mph. Pitch shows late drop. Did not throw in outing scouted in 2021. Will flash average potential.

Career Notes: Struggled as a freshman at Tulane, but emerged as the team's closer late in his sophomore season. Pitched in 1 game in the Cape Cod League in 2018. Signed following his sophomore season to an over-slot deal. Participated in Fall Instructional League in 2019 and 2020. Participated in 2022 Winter Warm-Up.

Summation: Potential up-and-down emergency reliever. Ceiling of an MLB middle reliever. Gap between from current projection and ceiling is driven by concerns about delivery and command and control profile. Struggles to throw strikes and current command is poor. Low floor, decent chance he will not throw enough strikes to get out of the minors. Pitch data is very impressive and grades out well in models. Both fastball and breaking ball have above-average spin rates.

Casey Cobb, Right-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Athletic right-hander with an average build. No remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the third-base side, but slides to the middle in his wind-up. Starts with his hands by his waist and brings them down and up before coming forward. Rhythmic delivery that he repeats well. Short arm action with a stab behind. Hides the ball well.

Fastball: 91-93 mph. Tops out at 94. Pitch shows late life. Solid command and control profile. Throws a lot of strikes and has already shown the ability to locate. Potential average offering.

Slider: 81-83 mph. 10-to-4 shape with depth at its best. Advanced feel and confidence in the pitch. Throws often against both right- and left-handed hitters. Can roll to the plate on occasion when he does not snap it off. Potential average offering.

Changeup: 80-83 mph. Shows late drop. Clear third pitch, primarily used against left-handed hitters. Potential fringe-average offering.

Career Notes: Before signing as an undrafted free agent, had committed to returning to Alabama in 2021 and using his extra year of eligibility for the canceled 2020 season, then planned to enlist in the U.S. Navy. Apparently missed 2016 season for unknown reasons.

Summation: Potential solid organizational swingman. Capable of pitching in short relief or multi-inning roles. Ceiling of an emergency up-and-down arm. Strong pitchability and feel. Throws strikes, works quick. Type of pitcher every organization needs.

Zach Bryant, Right-handed pitcher 

Physical Description: Right-hander with a muscular frame. No remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Delivery has effort. Starts with a wide base. Lot of moving parts in delivery. Quick, live arm. Long arm action behind. Deception in delivery.

Fastball: 92-94 mph. Tops out at 96 mph. Pitch jumps on batters who do not seem to get a good look at it. High spin rate and shows swing-and-miss potential. Pitch has late, rising action; has shown the ability to pitch with it up in the zone. Command and control need work, as does consistency from outing to outing. Potential plus offering.

Slider: 84-86 mph. Long, 10-to-4 break, generally. Shape will vary as he adds or subtracts velocity. Will drop arm slot and get on the side of the pitch too often. Potential average offering.

Career Notes: Grew up a Red Sox fan. Entered college at 240 pounds, but lost a lot of weight and now is extremely muscular, getting into fitness enough that he maintains a personal fitness account on social media. Pitched first two seasons at Daytona Beach Community College. Acquired from the Cubs as the PTBNL from the Josh Osich trade.

Summation: Potential priority organizational reliever. Ceiling of an MLB middle-reliever. Has a pretty wide gap between what he projects as right now and his ceiling. Fastball has significant major league potential, possessing many of the traits teams look for. Hitters have a lot of trouble picking it up. Has shown the ability to throw it up in the zone. Secondary offerings lag behind and development of his slider will determine his long-term potential. Slider needs refinement and improved consistency, as it does not have the bat-missing ability of his fastball and is not a pitch hitters need to worry about right now. Intriguing player to get in the pitching development system and work with.

Oddainer Mosqueda, Left-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Undersized left-hander with a developed lower half. Has added significant weight since signing. Minimal remaining projection.

Mechanics: Throws from a low three-quarters arm slot, setting up on the third base side of the rubber. Short, compact delivery with effort that he struggles to repeat. Medium leg kick. Trunk twist and stab and hook behind. Quick arm action coming forward.

Fastball: 92-94 mph. Pitch has life and has shown bat-missing ability in the low minors. Well-below-average control and command. Potential average offering due to concerns with long-term command and control profile.

Curveball: 79-81 mph. 1-to-7 break. Feel and confidence in pitch. Does a good job snapping it off with depth. Throws often, in any count, and works it in and out of the zone. Potential above-average offering.

Changeup: 83-84 mph. On the firm side. Tends to telegraph by slowing his arm down. Potential below-average offering.

Career Notes: Pitched in the Venezuelan Development Program in winter 2017. After struggling in the rotation in 2017, has been much better in a relief role. Cut walk rate in 2019 but allowed a corresponding jump in hits. Had IL stints in 2019 of about two weeks for left biceps tendinitis and about three weeks for left shoulder impingement syndrome. Pitched for Venezuela in the 2021 Americas Olympic Qualifier.

Summation: Projects as an organizational bullpen depth. Ceiling of an up-and-down reliever. Has shown significant bat-missing ability in the low minors and steady improvement year after year. Secondary pitches and command and control need refinement. Will show intriguing spin rates on fastball and slider.

Photo Credit: Brendan Cellucci and Oddainer Mosqueda by Kelly O'Connor, Casey Cobb by SoxProspects and Zach Bryant by Jerry Coli

Ian Cundall is Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @IanCundall.

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Podcast Ep. #241: And... we're back!

Well, they figured it out and the MLB lockout is over! Chris and Ian answered the call of the emergency podcast siren and got on the horn to talk about the new CBA - what we know about it at least - and how the Red Sox need to attack the compressed offseason and build a full roster! Plus, your emails!

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Scouting Report Updates: Jacob Wallace and other 2021 Greenville relievers part one

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on a group of relievers who spent time in Greenville last year, led by right-hander Jacob Wallace . These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Jacob Wallace, Right-handed pitcher 

Physical Description: Average, proportional frame with minimal remaining projection. Above-average athlete.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. High-effort delivery. Quick leg kick and gets low coming forward. Long arm action behind before he whips his arm forward. Extremely quick arm. Opens chest towards the plate while arm drags behind. Lands on-line to the plate before falling off to the first base side. Deception comes from off-putting delivery.

Fastball: 96-98 mph. Pitch shows life and can be thrown up in the zone. Really jumps on hitters. Command and control need refinement. Potential plus-plus offering.

Slider: 84-86 mph. 10-to-4 shape with depth and bite. True swing-and-miss pitch with major league out pitch potential with development. Elite spin rate that has been recorded at over 3000 rpm consistently. Potential plus offering with improved consistency.

Changeup: Third pitch used on occasion with late, arm-side movement. Did not throw in outing scouted in 2021. Added the pitch after turning pro.

Career Notes: Grew up in Methuen, Massachusetts, grew up a Red Sox fan and starred at Methuen High before becoming the closer at UConn. Pitched for Bourne in the 2018 Cape Cod League, where he was named the co-recipient of the John Claffey New England Top Prospect Award and was named a CCBL All-Star. Was acquired late in the 2020 season, so club did not have him report to the Alternate Training Site. Participated in the 2020 Fall Instructional League.

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Scouting Report Updates: 2022 IFA Signings and other offseason acquisitions

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on a few players he entered the system this offseason, including the Red Sox three biggest international signees, an intriguing minor league free agent signee and two Minor League Rule 5 picks. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Roberto Ramos, First Base 

Physical Description: Large, powerful frame. Strong upper body and thick lower half. Filled out, no remaining projection. Fringy athlete.

Hit: Loose hands with an extreme uppercut path. Length in swing causes him to struggle with velocity and leads to a lot of swing-and-miss. Solid bat speed, but struggles to recognize secondary pitches, especially against left-handed pitchers. Takes advantage of mistake pitches with authority. Really struggles against left-handed pitchers. Platoon profile, potential below-average hit tool if limited to facing primarily right-handed pitchers.

Power: Elite raw power. In-game power is limited by an inconsistent hit tool. Has the ability to muscle balls out even when he does not make consistent contact. Power plays best against right-handed pitchers.

Run: 20 speed. Not a part of his game. Base-clogger.

Field: Limited to first base. Below-average glove, limited range. Potential below-average defender.

Arm: Average arm. Adequate for first base.

Career Notes: Born and raised in Mexico, moved to California prior to his junior high school season. Undrafted out of high school. Selected in the 16th round in 2014 after spending one season in junior college. Won the 2018 California League Home Run Derby. Signed with the LG Twins of the KBO for the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

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Minor Notes: Minor league camp begins, no movement in lockout

Despite the lockout washing out the first two series of the 2022 season at the major league level, the minor league season is getting going as scheduled. Minor league camp is now open and intrasquad games are beginning, while our own SoxProspects crew will be journeying to Fort Myers later in the month.

While it's unclear when the MLB lockout will end, minor league baseball will be business as usual, providing a fix for baseball fans.

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Red Sox sign five to minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training

The organization has been building depth in case of a protracted lockout all offseason and this strategy continued throughout February and the early part of March. Yolmer Sánchez and Roberto Ramos came first on February 9. Sánchez is a glove-first infielder who has accrued five years and change of service time with the White Sox before spending last year with Triple-A Gwinnett in the Atlanta organization. Ramos, who played 2020 and 2021 for the LG Twins in the KBO, is a first-base-only player who hit .309 with 30 home runs with Triple-A Albuquerque in 2019.

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Scouting Report Updates: Jay Groome, Brandon Walter, Chase Shugart and Dylan Spacke

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on four starting pitchers from last years Greenville Drive, headlined by left-handed pitchers Jay Groome and Brandon Walter. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Jay Groome, Left-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Very large pitcher's frame. Wide, mature upper body and filled-out lower half. Looks all of his listed height and weight. Below-average athlete. Height is imposing on the mound. Body will need maintenance and bears watching as he matures; has had problems maintaining his conditioning. How his body develops will depend on how much work he puts in off the field.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side from the wind-up. Medium-effort delivery. Utilizes a high leg lift and is upright and stiff. Arm action includes a stab behind. Hides the ball briefly when he brings it behind his back and then again behind his head as he comes forward. Delivery is inconsistent and has gotten stiffer as his athleticism and coordination have regressed. Has trouble getting his arm in sync with the rest of his delivery. Has a tendency to open up his front side early while his arm lags behind and comes through late. When arm is out ahead, will miss up to the glove side; when it drags behind, tends to miss arm-side.

Fastball: Sits 90-92 mph. Tops out at 94 mph. Will come out at 92-94 mph, but settles in after an inning or two at 90-92. Prior to his elbow injury, would sit 92-94 mph and could dial it up to the 94-96 mph range. Since returning from Tommy John surgery, has yet to consistently show that velocity. At its best, the pitch gets on hitters quickly and has life. Still needs to show the ability to hold velocity deeper into games. Even at diminished velocity, pitch has shown swing-and-miss potential when commanded. Potential to develop into an average offering with refined command.

Curveball: 78-80 mph. 1-to-7 shape. At its best, shows depth and late finish. Feel comes and goes. When he has it working, can either throw in the zone or bury down and out of the zone to induce swinging strikes. At its best pre-surgery, it showed plus potential, but feel and consistency have not returned. Now projects as an average-to-better offering.

Changeup: 79-82 mph. Throws with deceptive arm speed the majority of the time. Shows late drop. Has shown the ability to pull the string on it and serves as an effective pitch against righties, to whom he almost exclusively throws it. Has improved and now shows as much or more potential than curveball. Did not throw much in high school or in 2016. Began to incorporate it more in 2017 as a work-in-progress as he tried to develop feel. Since return from surgery, pitch has steadily improved and he has shown more feel for it. Potential average-to-better offering.

Slider: 82-87 mph. Short, horizontal movement. Has become more comfortable with it during the 2021 season. Inconsistent shape and feel. Has shown a willingness to throw it to both right- and left-handed hitters. First threw the pitch at 2020 Fall Instructional League; pitch has come a long way since then but is still a work in progress. Potential fringe-average offering.

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Podcast Ep. #240: Hopefully the last lockout episode

One way or another, this will be the last episode of the podcast to primarily focus on the latest regarding the lockout. With no deal yet, which minor leaguers will be most affected? How will the organization adjust? Chris and Ian looked at those questions and more. Plus, transactions and your emails, including the guys talking about how they started at SoxProspects!

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Scouting Report Updates: Freddy Valdez, Jhostynxon Garcia and more from the FCL and DSL

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on a group of players who spent last year in the FCL and DSL. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Freddy Valdez, Outfielder

Physical Description: Tall, sturdy frame. Physical for his age and likely to get bigger as he matures.

Hit: Starts crouched and open. Leg lift timing device. Handsy swing that is not very pretty. Swing has significant holes that pitchers can exploit. Lacks feel for hit and is still in the early stages of developing an approach. Average bat control, below-average pitch recognition. Wide range of outcomes and a lot of development remaining, but right now projects for a well below-average hit tool.

Power: Plus raw power. Can impact the baseball, especially to the pull side. How his game power actualizes will depend on how his contact skills develop and how he is able to handle velocity.

Run: Fringe-average speed. Likely to lose speed as he matures given his size.

Field: Corner-only profile. Needs to work on his reads. Not the most instinctual defender. Potential to develop into a fringe-average corner outfielder.

Arm: Average arm. Strength grade varies depending on source.

Career Notes: Signed with the Mets for $1.45 million during the 2018/19 signing period. Acquired as a player-to-be-named-later from the Mets in the Andrew Benintendi trade.

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Scouting Report Updates: 2021 Salem relievers

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on a group of relievers who ended last year in Low-A Salem. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Devon Roedahl, Right-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Sturdy frame with no remaining projection. Looks listed height and weight.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Jerky delivery with a head whack. Stiff arm action with a long arm swing behind. Arm action varies at times depending on the pitch he is throwing.

Fastball: 91-93 mph. Pitch shows some life up in the zone. Throws strikes, solid command profile. Not a true bat-missing option. Most effective when sequenced correctly in conjunction with his slider and splitter. Potential average offering.

Split-Finger Fastball: 83-85 mph. Shows late dive when at its best. Has confidence and feel in the pitch. Will throw in any count to both righties and lefties. Will shorten arm action and telegraph on occasion. Potential average offering.

Slider: 82-85 mph. Short, vertical break. Has shown the ability to miss bats against low-minors hitters when age-advanced for the level. Will be tested by more advanced bats. Potential below-average offering.

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Scouting Report Updates: High-minors depth arms

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports. Today's update focuses on a group of high-minors relievers. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Rio Gomez, Left-handed pitcher 

Physical Description: Average frame with minimal remaining projection. Solid athlete.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Compact delivery. High leg kick. Short arm action behind. Hides the ball very well and repeats delivery. Quick to the plate.

Fastball: 88-90 mph. Pitch shows sink. Throws strikes and keeps the ball down. Solid command and control profile. Has struggled to miss bats against more advanced hitters. Potential fringe-average offering.

Slider: 80-82 mph. 1-to-7 shape. Pitch shows depth. Can snap it off in the zone or bury it down and out. Potential average pitch.

Changeup: 83-84 mph. Throws with deceptive arm speed. Pitch shows late drop. Potential below-average offering.

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Scouting Report Updates: Wilkelman Gonzalez, Chih-Jung Liu and more low-minors starters

For the last few months, we've been updating the scouting reports of many players in the system. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight these updated reports, starting today with starting pitchers from last year's Salem Red Sox. These scouting reports are written by Director of Scouting Ian Cundall.

Wilkelman Gonzalez, Right-handed pitcher

Physical Description: Slightly undersized frame. Sturdy lower half with remaining projection in his upper body. Not that tall, looks heavier than listed weight of 167 pounds. Solid athlete.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Some effort in delivery. Does not use a wind-up. Loose, quick arm. Rotational delivery. High leg kick. Stiff arm action with a slight stab behind. Front side deception. Arm action is a little violent and can get out of sync from the rest of his delivery at times.

Fastball: 92-95 mph. Tops out at 97 mph. Live arm. Velocity drops considerably the deeper he works into games. Will come out 95-97 mph and eventually settle in at 92-94 mph, topping out at 95 mph, by the third inning. Fastball has shown bat-missing ability even in the zone. Pitch shows all types of movement: life, tail, cut, and sink. Variety of movement is a result of him being very raw and still learning how to pitch. Command and control are works in progress. Has flashed the ability to locate on occasions, but is wild at present. Will often yank the pitch to the glove side when his arm gets out ahead of the rest of his delivery. Potential plus offering with refinement.

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