Intro and a Couple Pitchers

Hello! This is my first public writing on the MLB draft. My only public baseball work work was at the 2020 SABR Analytics Conference, but outside of analytics I have a few years of experience on the road scouting baseball players. I plan on using this as my portfolio to show off my scouting abilities.

I wanted to start with a short primer on a couple pitchers before the season starts. These guys are archetypes of pitchers that I find particularly interesting and I am interested to see how they do this year. I have only seen video, but in the future this blog will only have live looks.

Carson Whisenhunt-LHP-East Carolina

Whisenhunt felt like the guy most likely to benefit from both a weak college pitching class as well as an increasing sentiment that player development can improve stuff but not control. Unfortunately he got suspended for the first weekend and it's hard to say now how that will affect his draft stock. From a talent standpoint he has plus control and a plus changeup, but it’s a fringy breaking ball and fastball. Generic release point, doesn't make his fastball play up. I’m pretty low on him relative to the public boards, feels more like a middle to late round 2 guy rather than a middle of the first round type, but I want to get better video on him before I make a final opinion. In general, I’m bearish on the idea that it’s easier to develop stuff which might have me underrate Whisenhunt relative to others.

Adam Maier-RHP-Oregon

It’s a stretch to say Maier is a first round arm, but he has one of the best sliders in the class to go along with a couple above average offerings. He’s a ¾ arm slot sinker guy with a fairly aggressive arm action but has enough command to start. Changeup has late fade and tumble, it’s a good out pitch against lefties. Has been up to 97, but velo dropped quick during his starts in the Cape, so this is something to watch. I have him projected as a #4 starter with high leverage reliever utility if the velocity doesn’t sustain. The teams that are more progressive in their pitch sequencing (letting Maier throw 40%+ sliders) should be in on him early and I think would be a great fit for him.