MLB Draft notes: Kyson Witherspoon flashes near elite fastball, Outfield hitters struggling
Kyson Witherspoon has one of the best fastballs in the draft this year.
I briefly discussed Kyson Witherspoon last week, and after impressing in his season debut, he decided to step things up another notch, striking out 12 batters in seven innings pitched, picking up the win against Minnesota.
The fastball grades out elite, getting a 35.3% whiff rate with nearly 20” of induced vertical break from a 5’8” release height. The extension isn’t great, but it’s a pitch that has the characteristics to do very well at the next level.
Add in the fact that he threw it in the zone right 70% of the time—very impressive stuff. Jamie Arnold is currently the top-ranked college pitcher in the draft, but Witherspoon is making a strong push to be second.
Witherspoon has struck out 21 batters over 12 innings pitched while posting a 0.58 WHIP and 2.25 ERA. He’s won both of his starts.
His twin brother, Malachi, has also gotten off to a strong start this season, allowing three earned runs over 9.1 innings pitched (2.89 ERA), with nine strikeouts to six walks.
They attack hitters a little differently, and Malachi has struggled a bit more with walks, but he has three above-average graded pitches, two of which are fastballs with flat approaches that should play well up in the zone.
Oklahoma has a solid rotation, with Cameron Johnson rounding things out. He won’t be draft-eligible until next year, but was one of the top prep pitchers available a couple of years ago.
Other notes from draft-eligible prospects
Finally had a chance to sit down and watch a little of Cam Cannarella, one of the top outfield prospects in the draft. He seemed to be pressing a little bit amid some early-season struggles. Four of his seven hits came in the second game of the season, as did three of his four extra-base hits.
Cannarella isn’t the only top-eligible outfield prospect to struggle early on. Devin Taylor (Indiana) is hitting .269 with just one home run. Perhaps the top player in the draft, Jace LaViolette, is hitting just .217 with three home runs (two came on the second day of the season).
Marek Houston has five home runs in nine games this season. He had 12 in 119 games during his first two years at Wake Forest. He’s batting .459/.535/.919 right now and is already one of the top defensive shortstops in the upcoming draft. If the hitting proves to be legitimate, his stock will skyrocket.
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Liam Doyle has had a great start to the year. He's had 25 strikeouts to 1 walk, only giving up 3 hits 1 run (1 HR) in his 2 starts (both wins). He faces Oklahoma St. friday, for his first real competition.
Beware of college hitters that only feast on weak opponents/Sunday starters..