Josh Hartle
LHP 6-5 180 Reagan HS (NC)
23) Josh Hartle, LHP, Reagan HS (NC)
Hartle is a unique arm with many characteristics that progressive scouting and player development departments want in their organization. His fastball sits 88-91 right now, but the pitch has above average to plus potential. At a lanky 6’5 and 180 pounds, Hartle will likely add velocity as he continues to develop physically, especially since he already has good mechanics. He generates really good hip/torso separation at foot strike in his delivery, creating good arm speed. His fastball also plays up due to his flat vertical approach angle, which he creates with superb extension and a lower arm slot. Hartle’s breaking ball is more slurvy with a lot of length that misses bats. He shows a good ability to get it below the zone to get chases from hitters on both sides of the plate. His changeup is slightly below average that needs improved command, but he can mix it in to RHH occasionally. Hartle likely projects as a starter at the next level with mid to back-end rotation potential, as he already possess a number of traits that are key in the development of pitchers. Hartle is committed to Wake Forest.
Josh Hartle – LHP: The unquestioned top Prep Left-hander in the class has a ton of projection remaining in his 6’5 frame. Shows strong command as a prep with a Future 55 and potential to move into a 60 Grade. Expected velo bump from his 89-92 MPH he works with now to go with a plus Slider and an Average-Above Average (55) Changeup. Coming from a tough lower arm slot for hitters to deal with, similar to Chris Sale’s arm slot. The high-end upside with the pitchability and projected velo boost make him as good as any in the class. 9 months until the July Draft, I expect to see some of that projection start to fruition come Springtime.
Mack observation -
First, let me say it again… this is a poor LHP talent pool.
Hartle may be the top prep lefty in the draft but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a ways to go to develop his stuff. I am unimpressed with his fastball and think he should go to college and mature there rather than in a lower level of a major league team.
Robby Martin
OF 6-3 200 Florida State
7) Robby Martin, OF, Florida State
Martin is a projectable bat-first corner outfielder who has done nothing but hit in his brief time at Florida State. Standing at 6’3 and weighing in at 200 pounds, he has some present strength but his frame also suggests he could continue to put on muscle, which will be important for him as he needs to develop his power (he has only hit four homers at FSU). Martin has a pretty left-handed swing with solid bat path and a great approach, as he does a nice job of battling during at bats and drawing walks. In his two seasons in Tallahassee, Martin has posted a fantastic 13.2% walk rate. His natural loft in his swing is conducive to power, which I believe is still on the way. However, he doesn’t do a great job of delaying torso rotation, taking away some of that barrel whip through the hitting zone. While Martin presents an intriguing potential OBP/power profile, there are some significant swing and miss issues. His long arms create some big holes in his swing, and he has been prone to strikeouts. However, as a young player in the ACC his strikeout rate wasn’t awful, and he does do a good job of battling in the box. He served as the Seminoles’ DH his first season in Tallahassee, but he projects as a corner OF because of his size and below average foot speed. Overall Martin projects as a high OBP corner OF who has a chance to develop into 12-17 homer pop, but the swing and miss issues make him a more volatile college bat.
Standout(s): Robby Martin, FSU - The Marlins selected Martin 1107th overall in the 2018 draft, but he chose to hit campus at Tallahassee, and hit campus is what he did, as Martin slashed .345/.426/.503 with four homers and an 11.9 BB%. At the moment he’s considered to be the front-runner to be the first college position player selected in the 2021 draft.
2020 stat line - 17-G, 68-AB, .324, .851-OPS, 0-HR
Mack observation -
First, I never try to project if college juniors are going to develop new skills. In my book, if you don’t have it by now, it probably isn’t coming. Remember, a college junior has played three years in school. If this was a high school player, and you played him for three years in your organization and nothing more happened, you wouldn’t still be projecting anything.
That being said, Martin is what Martin is… a great corner outfield hitter with no power.
If this is what you want from a corner outfielder, go get em’.
I pass.
Gage Jump
LHP 5-11 180 JSerra Catholic HS (CA)
MLB -
Gage Jump, LHP, JSerra Catholic HS (Calif.) -- One of the better lefties in the class, Jump is also an undersized southpaw who really knows how to pitch. The UCLA recruit was 91-95 mph on Sunday with a mid-70s get-me-over curve and a better 80-81 mph slider. He’s super athletic and shows tremendous competitiveness on the mound.
Gage Jump – LHP: From older prospect to a younger one, Gage will just be turning 18 during his draft month. A young Left Hander with a blazing Fastball that Grades as Plus (60) sitting 92-93 T95 generating a ton of Swing and Miss up in the zone with one of the better Vertical Approach Angles in the draft. With fantastic extension and drive off his back leg. Although he is a smaller pitcher, just (5’11 180lbs) he uses all of it and more and it really is an advantage. He has a Curveball with 2/7 shape that flashes Above-Average (55) and a Changeup to round out the repertoire and has starter traits if he can iron out a bit of command issues that seem to come and go from time to time.
Mack observation -
I like Jump. I think you can figure out what his warm-up song would be.
I don’t like the fact that he stands below six feet. I like my starters large. This brings a pitching angle that is harder to hit.
I might consider him around the 10th round, but I expect him to be gone by then.
Clayton Beeter
RHP 6-2 220 Texas Tech
Medium -
Clayton Beeter — Texas Tech
What stands out immediately about Clayton Beeter’s statistical profile is his K/9 of 14.14, the highest in the Big 12, despite being a starter. That’s a crazy strikeout rate for a starter, especially when it’s accompanied by his BB/9 of 1.71 and WHIP of 0.81. All of that resulted in a FIP of 2.56, better than the league average.
The only blemish on Beeter’s profile is the unsightly HR/9 of 1.29, which is why his FIP and wOBA allowed (0.228) are so close to average, despite his outstanding WHIP, K/9, and BB/9. That combination of the K/9 and BB/9 are enough to make Beeter the best pitching prospect in the conference in my mind, despite the high HR/9.
It’s true that guys like Bryce Elder and Cade Cavalli and Levi Prater might have more years and innings and production than Beeter, but his upside is tantalizing.
Beeter is a 6-foot-2, 220-pound right-hander who throws a four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup from an over-the-top delivery that allows him to throw downhill and create deception.
He has a powerful two-pitch mix that he relies on heavily. His fastball and curveball are above-average offerings and allow him to overpower hitters. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and has touched 98 mph.
His curveball might be his best pitch and serves as an extremely effective outpitch. It’s a sharp breaking pitch that consists of 12-to-6 break and typically generates a high percentage of strikeouts.
2020 stat line - 4-starts, 2-1, 2.14, 0.81, 21-IP, 33-K
Mack observation -
You have to respect how this guy gets batters to miss balls. It’s even more impressive because he is a starter, not a speedball reliever.
I like him a lot and would place him high on my charts. Would love him to still be around in round three.
Max Marusak
OF 6-0 175 Texas Tech
20. Max Marusak, OF, Texas Tech
There are some prospects you draft because you don’t want to miss the boat. Let me introduce you to Max Marusak. Tell me how many times you hear this: plus power potential and plus-plus speed potential. Sounds like something out of a video game. Even with a season and a half of NCAA baseball under his belt, Marusak is raw. The hit tool needs work, to be sure. This is the kind of guy who if he gets drafted by the Rays, Dodgers, Astros, or Cardinals, I’d be screaming for you to draft this guy.
08.10.17 - Area Code Games - OF Max Marusak (Amarillo HS, TX) has shown a high rate of swing-and-miss this week, but if he puts the ball on the ground, good luck getting him out. He has top-of-the-scale speed and beat out an infield single Thursday by getting down the line in 3.97 seconds.
08.07.17 - Area Code Games - OF Max Marusak (Amarillo HS, TX) was 2-for-3 for the Rangers (Texas), scoring a run and driving in two with a double. He can absolutely fly and got down the line in 4.0 on an infield single. He then double off the wall in left field and was 4.2 on the turn.
2020 stat line - 7-games, 5-starts, .286/.318/.286, 0-HR
Mack observation -
Did not start off well in 2020. In fact, he was used sparingly.
Too much projection here.
I pass.
1 comment:
I basically agree with your assessments on these. But will Beeter make it to the 3rd round?
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