He is a monster. Different people say he's different sizes, but he's at least 6'5'' and at least 225 lbs, but more likely he's at least 250 and as big as 270. He reportedly is the hardest throwing pitcher ever to enter the draft. He has hit 102 mph on the gun and considering he's a teenager, there is reason to believe his velocity could improve even higher than that with the guys on MLB Network speculating he could possibly eventually hit 105 in time. He throws a hard slider that's inconsistent at this point, but could be a good pitch eventually. He throws a curve ball that people seem to think is just average. He has tried to throw a change, but it's not very developed because he hasn't needed it. Probably the highest ceiling for a pitcher in the draft. Many scouts don't know how to project him because there has never been a HS pitcher with his size and athleticism that throws as hard as he does, but he has been compared to some of the previous Texas fireballers like Ryan and Clemens. There is a question as to how fast he'll move with some suggesting he is already man-sized so he should move quickly, while other suggest his pitches other than his fastball need more refining. The Marlins suggested they feel he should be able to move quickly through the system.
Wow sounds really interesting. Hopefully he keeps his arm injury free and pans out for us. Looking forward to seeing him pitch eventually.
He supposedly hit 102 but every time I've seen him throw, he's sat between 93-97. I don't think he's the hardest throwing high schooler ever. He's big but very raw. His command isn't great. Lot of work needs to be done but he has a high ceiling.
I'm not a scout so I can't comment on whether he's the hardest throwing HS pitcher ever, but I've seen it mentioned a few times and in the draft coverage they said no HS pitcher has ever hit 100 and this guy hit 102.
Well for one, I find it very hard to believe that he hit 102. These guns are usually juiced when you hear stories like that. When you watch him pitch, he sits mid-90's. But you hear every year about a high schooler touching 100. Here's one about Lance McCullers: And Dylan Bundy: MLBN just likes to sensationalize things.
Maybe, but while those articles seem to make a big deal out of the fact that those guys hit 100, this guy was reportedly hitting 100 regularly. Are the guns juiced? Maybe, but I doubt the ones on Aiken were any more juiced than the ones on McCullers or Bundy.
102 with room for improvement is a big claim. That 105 MPH or so is absolutely insane for any pitcher to touch. I think the burden of proof lays on the side that says he has.
I find it hard to believe any pitcher would consistently be able to hit 102 MPH let alone 105. I wonder who was actually saying he could hit 105 mph on the MLB Network. I bet it was Harold Reynolds. Here's Keith Law's Scouting Report on him who said he has the best high school fastball: Kolek is a massive human being, with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame, and he uses that size and his arm strength to sit 94-96, touching 100 mph over the summer. Then here's his Scouting report card from ESPN Scouts Inc: Simply put, Kolek has the arm strength to throw harder than any pitcher in the class, sitting more in the 93-95 mph range, occasionally reaching triple digits with some late movement as well. He didn't hold his velocity in some of his outings, but that can be attributed to the amount of travel and work that Kolek put in during his offseason. So yeah it sounds like the radar guns were pretty juiced a bit, but I don't doubt he didn't hit 100 just not consistently, plus I'm not sure that would even be a good thing for a high schooler. That's not to take away anything from him because he obviously has a big fastball but yeah if anyone is expecting him to consistently hit 100+ mph on the gun I bet they will be disappointed. Especially when you factor in how much more he'll be pitching in the pros (more innings, more pitches and less rest) I wouldn't count on it.
I read one site that topped him out at 99 in the games they scouted. Still highly impressive. His velocity increased every year in high school as you'd expect, and that he pitched in the mid 90' most of the year with his fastball but occasionally hit upper 90's.
Pitching is going to doom this team. Wolf needs to be let go ASAP, and sending down Desclafani to keep him was a stupid decision. Let's keep the old as **** journeyman who has never been anything but average over the young prospect with potential. Heaney needs to get up here ASAP, because a back end of the rotation that includes Wolf, Khoeler and Turner is just terrible. Also the bullpen needs help too. Mike Dunn shouldn't be allowed to come into tight situations until he figures his **** out.
Deadspin is reporting that someone hacked into the Houston Astros computer system and saw internal emails about possible trades. One included the Marlins sending Stanton to Houston for George Springer and Carlos Correra that Houston utlimately rejected.
If that trade ever went though I think it would have been a win/win deal, maybe more so for the Marlins in another year or 2. But it doesn't make much sense from Houston's side of things when they aren't in a win now mode, which is why they probably rejected it.
How does everyone feel about the Brad Penny signing? Personally I'm cautiously optimistic. Apparently he still has solid velocity and just needs some work getting back into his breaking stuff.
Let's get the band back together. Just need to find Pavano, Becket, D-Train, Urbina (is he still in jail?), Benitez, Castillo, Floyd, Pierre, Gonzalez, Lee, Pudge, Lowell, Encarnacion (though doubtful, given his eye condition). World Series, baby!
He's 36 years old, has been out of pro baseball for 2 years and he hasn't had a good season since 2007. But hey stranger things have happened I guess.
Yes absolutely. Especially considering before this year McGehee was playing in Japan for the last 2 years. This is exactly what small market and non contending teams should do. Sign guys off the scrap pile and hope they have a good half year and then dump them for players/prospects at the trade deadline. Just look at what the Cubs did the last 2 years with Scott Feldman and Hammel.
Seems that way. Then again so is our #5 starter any given turn in the rotation. My biggest hope was just that he could be LESS hot garbage than what we currently had.
Treading .500 isn't great ball in and of itself though. Better than last year, yeah, but just about anything is better than last year.
Yeah but considering we haven't had our best pitcher its not crazy to think we could be even better right now.
.500 baseball for a team that was expected to be pretty bad before losing one of the best pitchers in baseball for the year is still something to be pleased with. Even more so than that, this team appears to be headed in the right direction and is incredibly fun to watch this season. Give me an overachieving team with no quit in them playing exciting .500 ball over a high priced team underachieving playing slightly above .500 ball any day of the week.
Buying would be hilariously short sighted and just like the Marlins to think we're still in this. We're on the right track but we need 3-4 more infielders.
Renting would be horribly shortsighted unless you're not giving up much. "Buying" a player that could be a long term upgrade would not be a mistake at all IMO.
Mookie Betts (2B), Deven Marrero (SS), Will Middlebrooks (3B) and a SP or 2 for Stanton. There's your 3 infielders.