March 6, 2022 at 8:00 AM
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.
Summation: Potential mid-minors organizational depth arm. Ceiling of a solid, high-minors organizational arm. Has strong pitchability and command profile. Lacks a plus pitch, but fastball, splitter and slider play well when he mixes all of them up. Will pitch backwards at times, to great effect. Type of arm every organization needs.
Jacob Webb, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Extra-large pitcher's frame. Looks listed height and weight. Imposing figure on mound. Will need to watch his conditioning. No remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber and does not use a wind-up. Drop-and-drive motion. Effort in delivery. Shorter arm action, hides the ball well. Quick, live arm.
Fastball: 92-94 mph. Sat in the mid-90s in college and reportedly topped out at 100 mph. Velocity was down some in initial looks in pro ball. Pitch shows late movement. Heavy pitch. Will show bat-missing ability. Potential above-average offering.
Slider: 81-85 mph. Primary secondary pitch. Will vary shape deliberately at times. Usually shows frisbee-like 10-to-4 shape, but at other times pitch is more vertical with depth, and at others is shorter and more cutter-like. Potential above-average offering.
Changeup: Third pitch that he does not incorporate often and did not throw in outing scouted in 2021.
Career Notes: Was committed to Toledo out of high school, but did not qualify academically so he spent two years at Sinclair Community College prior to transferring to Miami (Ohio). Named a Northwoods League All-Star in 2021 after throwing 12 2/3 innings, allowing only four hits while striking out 29. Worked out for the Red Sox in June prior to being selected.
Summation: Potential organizational reliever. Ceiling of an up-and-down reliever. Huge frame with a unique delivery makes for an uncomfortable at-bat for hitters. Even with diminished velocity, fastball/slider combination is interesting. If he can regain his premium velocity, his long-term projection could change.
Physical Description: Average frame, athletic. No remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. Does not utilize a windup. Simple delivery. Short-ish arm action with a hook behind. Inconsistent release point at times.
Fastball: 89-92 mph. Tops out at 94. Pitch shows sink down in the zone. Not a bat-missing fastball, more designed to generate weak contact. Solid control profile, but below-average command at present. Hittable when left up. Potential fringe-average offering.
Curveball: 77-79 mph. Long, 11-to-5 shape that will sometimes get more vertical. Does not consistently snap off; hangs the pitch too often. Potential fringe-average offering.
Changeup/Splitter: 80-83 mph. Spin rate shows these are two different pitches, but both come in at the same velocity band and have similar movement with late fade. Potential fringe-average offering(s).
Slider: 82-84 mph. Short, horizontal break. Potential below-average offering.
Career Notes: Priority unsigned free agent for the organization in 2020. Red Sox had Chris Sale call DiValerio as part of their recruiting pitch. Pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen in 2021, but mostly in a long relief/bulk role.
Summation: Projects as a mid-minors organizational depth arm. Lack of velocity or an above-average secondary pitch limits ceiling, but a solid player to have in the organization.
Robert Kwiatkowski, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Average frame, filled out. No remaining projection.
Mechanics: Throws from a high-three-quarters-to-over-the-top arm slot. Does not use a wind-up. Medium leg kick and short arm action. Hides the ball well. Works quickly.
Fastball: 90-92 mph. Tops out at 93 mph. Pitch shows sink and is used to generate weak contact rather than generate whiffs. Average command-and-control profile. Potential fringe-average offering.
Slider: 82-84 mph. Horizontal break. Lacks depth. Does not consistently snap off. Potential average offering.
Curveball: 80-82 mph. More vertical shape than slider. Short break. Able to land for strikes and front door to right-handed hitters. Potential fringe-average offering.
Career Notes: Battled injuries in the summer of 2017, when he had surgery, and apparently in the spring of 2018. Was often used in a long/bulk relief role in Salem in 2021.
Summation: Potential mid-minors depth arm. Ceiling of an organizational arm. Lacks a carrying pitch and has struggled to miss bats in the low minors. Solid strike-throwing ability could carry him in the low minors. Could develop into the type of depth arm every organization needs to fill out a minor league roster.
Joey Stock, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Tall, filled-out right-hander. Athletic for his size, quick feet.
Mechanics: Throws directly over the top from the first base side of the rubber. Stiff delivery with lots of moving parts and substantial effort. Does not use a wind-up. Medium leg kick and falls off hard to the first base side. Gets good extension.
Fastball: 91-93 mph. Reportedly has been up to 96 mph in the past. Pitch shows good life and plays up in the zone. High spin rate. Has shown bat-missing ability. Reportedly also throws a two-seamer. Potential above-average offering.
Curveball: 79-81 mph. Long, vertical break. Does not consistently snap it off, but pitch flashes depth when he does. Potential fringe-average offering.
Changeup: 80-81 mph. Some drop. Potential below-average offering.
Career Notes: Was a two-way player in college at Saint John's (Minn.). Signed relatively late as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
Summation: Potential organizational relief arm. Fastball could play against more advanced hitters, but needs to develop a consistent secondary pitch to complement it. Size is an asset and provides a unique look to hitters when combined with his arm slot and delivery.
Alexander Montero, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Thick, filled-out right-hander. Has filled out considerably since he signed.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Starts on the first base side of the rubber. Does not utilize a wind-up and comes set at his chest before utilizing a short arm action behind his back, hiding the ball until late. Has effort in delivery, will fall off hard to the first-base side on some pitches.
Fastball: 93-95 mph. Lacks life and is on the straight side. Command and control need a lot of work. Leaves the ball up, where it is hittable, too often. Pitch plays down from velocity grade due to lack of movement and command profile. Potential average offering.
Slider: 84-86 mph. Short break. More vertical than horizontal. Does not consistently get over the pitch. Has shown the ability to miss bats with it in the low minors, but will be tested by more advanced hitters who will force him to land it in the zone. Will flash average, but consistency pushes potential down a tick. Potential fringe-average offering.
Changeup: 82-84 mph. Velocity was down in 2019 from 85-89 mph. Split-change was his best secondary offering in past looks, showing late, diving action down and out of the zone, but did not throw in outing scouted in 2021.
Career Notes: Was old for an international signee at almost 20 years old. Started the 2018 season in the Lowell rotation. Missed a portion of the 2018 season with a forearm strain. Participated in 2018 Fall Instructional League. Was moved back to the GCL the following year with greatly diminished stuff, and exited his final 2019 start after just one batter, suggesting an injury. Began 2021 season in extended spring training before eventually being assigned to Salem.
Summation: Potential low-minors depth arm. Injuries stunted his career early, but velocity returned in 2021. Lacks feel and command and control. Needs to make major strides in order to get out of the low-minors.
Physical Description: Filled-out right-hander with an average frame. Has filled out considerably since he signed.
Mechanics: Throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. Pitches exclusively from the stretch. Long arm action with a lot of moving parts. Recoils when falling off the mound. Arm gets out of sync with the rest of his delivery.
Fastball: 94-96 mph. Pitch lacks movement. Command and control are well below-average. Struggles to locate, more of a thrower at this point. Pitch plays below its velocity grade due to lack of movement and command profile. Potential average offering.
Splitter: 85-87 mph. Late drop at times. Inconsistent, but has shown bat-missing ability both in and out of the zone. Potential average offering.
Slider: 84-86 mph. Short, 10-to-4 shape. Lacks depth. Does not show much feel for the pitch. Potential below-average offering.
Career Notes: Participated in the 2018 Fall Instructional League.
Summation: Projects as a low-minors depth arm. Will show interesting raw stuff, but lacks feel on the mound and does not project to develop the command and control necessary to succeed against more advanced hitters.
Miguel Suero, Right-handed pitcher
Physical Description: Athletic frame with some projection remaining.
Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot from the first base side. Long arm action with a hook behind. Inconsistent release point. Falls off hard to the first base side at times and loses his delivery. Does not consistently finish his pitches.
Fastball: 88-90 mph. Tops out at 93 mph. Pitch shows cut and life at times. Command and control are a work in progress. Lacks feel for command.
Slider: 84-86 mph. Primary secondary pitch. Does not finish pitch consistently. Pitch shows short break and is cutter-like at times.
Changeup: 84-86 mph.
Curveball: 80-82 mph.
Career Notes: Signed late for an international free agent, at 20 years old. Participated in the 2018 Fall Instructional League.
Summation: Low-minors depth arm. Consistency and command and control need a lot of work.
Photo Credit: Devon Roedahl and Yasel Santana by Kelly O'Connor, Jordan Divalerio by sjuhawks.com, Joey Stock by Bryan Green,
Ian Cundall is Director of Scouting for SoxProspects.com. Follow him on Twitter @IanCundall.