The 2014 MLB Draft commences this week, so like most school children eagerly counting down the days until summer vacation, I am anxiously staring at the clock awaiting Thursday and draft day. The strength of this year’s draft lies in the quality and quantity of both the collegiate and high school pitching crop, with excellent prospects available, along with notable depth. In an effort to familiarize everyone in preparation for the draft, this is a brief introduction to a few of the top pitching prospects available.

Carlos Rodon  LHP  North Carolina State

7-Word Scouting Report: Monster Lefty, Impressive 3-Pitch Mix, Devastating Slider

One of the premier pitching prospects in the past decade, North Carolina State LHP Carlos Rodon, like the rest of his Wolfpack teammates, struggled to live up to his overwhelming expectations heaped upon them prior to the season. Nevertheless, Rodon possesses an outstanding pitcher’s frame, listed at 6-3 230lbs, with some projection left in his lower half and is physically imposing on the mound, with a quiet, confident demeanor and swagger. His delivery, both from the windup and the stretch, is relatively quiet, compact, and relatively square to the plate throughout his motion.

Rodon features a premier 3-pitch mix, throwing a 90-94mph fastball with quality life, an expletive-inducing 86-88mph slider along with a quality, but inconsistent 80-82mph changeup with good arm action. His pure physical size, 92mph fastball, and solid left-handed pitching mechanics make him a quality prospect. But the true difference-maker is his slider, one of the nastiest breaking pitches I have seen in person and certainly the best I have seen at the collegiate level. It is a truly masterful pitch.

On the other hand, Rodon struggled in 2014 with his fastball command and high pitch counts, leading some scouts to slightly sour on him from last season. That said, Rodon is one of the most complete collegiate pitchers I have ever seen, and his talent should not let him slip outside the top-3 picks.

Brady Aiken  LHP  California HS

7-Word Scouting Report: Athletic Lefty, Potentially Plus Fastball Curveball Changeup

Although well-known amongst high school scouts entering the season, Aiken began the season considered a mid-1st round selection and enters draft day as the co-favorite to be selected 1st overall. An athletic left-handed pitcher, Aiken possesses a mid-90s fastball, a plus “hammer” high-70s curveball, a promising changeup that could develop into his 2nd best pitch, along with the occasional slider. With a prototypical pitcher’s frame, excellent athleticism, and 4 potentially average or better pitches, Aiken projects as a good #2 starting pitcher in the future, and will not escape the top-5 picks Thursday evening.

Tyler Kolek  RHP  Texas HS

7-Word Scouting Report: Monster Texan, Elite Fastball That Touches 100mph

One of the top pitching prospects from Texas in recent memory, Kolek is armed with a monster mid-90s fastball that often touches 100mph and a hard-biting, devastating slider. Scouts also note that Kolek throws a reasonable changeup, though there is little need for it against the high school competition he faces. A massive young man, Kolek is still raw and will need development time in the minors to polish his overall game, but his raw fastball velocity will have him selected inside the top-10 picks.

Aaron Nola  RHP  Louisiana State University

7-Word Scouting Report: Polished Righty, Elite Control, Above-Average Fastball Curveball

Serving as LSU’s Friday night Ace in 2014, Nola showed all the qualities and moxie one might expect from a future major league pitcher. Nola features a low-90s fastball that he locates near-flawlessly to both sides of the plate, along with a high-70s curveball with late bite; in addition, Nola showed the occasional high-70s changeup with arm-side fade. Nola has an impressive pitchers physique with thin legs, a high waist, and the frame to add weight as he matures. Nola does not have the cleanest delivery, as he uses an active, drop-and-drive delivery which he repeats quite impressively.

What truly separates Nola is his exceptional ability to repeat his delivery and continually pounding the strike zone with quality strikes. His fastball velocity is not elite, perhaps reaching a maximum 94mph, but his elite control, along with an above-average curveball and repeatable delivery gives Nola the highest prospect floor in this year’s crop. Expect Nola to be selected inside the top-8 picks on Thursday.
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Sean Newcomb  LHP  University of Hartford

7-Word Scouting Report: Big Lefty, Massive Fastball, Promising Off-Speed Pitches

Newcomb possesses a very impressive present 4-pitch repertoire, as he features an easy, 90-94mph fastball, with late life and arm side movement, along with an equally impressive 82-84mph slider with quick biting, downward movement that he buried into righties. In addition, Newcomb throws a firm 82-85mph changeup with some downward movement that induces plenty of whiffs from right-handed batters, along with the occasional 76-78mph curveball with some looping action.

Newcomb is an absolute mountain of a man, an intimidating presence on the mound as he stands about 6-5 230lbs., and is fairly athletic for his size, which allows him to repeat his delivery and field his position reasonably well for a collegiate pitcher. His motion is fairly quiet and compact, and the ball seems to jump out of his hand and onto the batter. Like most college pitchers, Newcomb has his flaws, as he needs to command the strike zone better and continue to develop his off-speed offerings. That said, it is rare to find a left-handed pitcher with a mid-90s fastball, a relatively simple, repeatable delivery, and prototypical physical size for a starting pitcher. Newcomb is probably my favorite player in this year’s draft, and I anticipate him having a long career as a mid-rotation starter.

Jeff Hoffman  RHP  East Carolina University

7-Word Scouting Report: Tommy John Rehabber, Electric Fastball Curveball Combination
After an exceptional 2013 summer in the Cape Cod League, Hoffman entered 2014 as one of the top prospects for the June draft and did little to disappoint this season, overwhelming lineups with a mid-90s fastball, a low-to-mid-90s 2-seam fastball, a devastating late-breaking slider, and the occasional curveball. Hoffman possesses a near ideal pitcher’s frame, listed at 6-4 192lbs, with a wiry body type and plenty of projection remaining in his frame. The word that continually comes to mind in terms of Hoffman is “electric”, as his 4-pitch repertoire especially his above-average or better fastball and slider give him top-of-the-rotation potential.

Unfortunately Hoffman suffered an elbow injury last month and is currently rehabilitating from Tommy John surgery. Because of this there is plenty of risk involving Hoffman as a prospect, but his raw tools are as good as anyone in this draft class. Hoffman is one of the more dynamic pitching prospects in the past few years, and despite his arm injury, should still be drafted inside the top-20 picks overall.

Brandon Finnegan  LHP  Texas Christian

7-Word Scouting Report: Plus Fastball Slider Combo, Pitching Shoulder Concerns
A smallish left-handed pitcher armed with two massive offerings, Finnegan has overwhelmed collegiate hitters this season with a powerful mid-90s fastball with excellent life and a devastating slider he locates for strikes. Also, Finnegan will show a changeup with some arm-side run that will induce whiffs from right-handed batters.

Finnegan’s delivery is fairly polished though involving more effort than one might like, and his command of the strike zone is a bit below-average at this stage in his development. However, his biggest negatives for scouts are his size, as he is listed below 6-0, and injury concerns to his pitching shoulder last month. If a team can overlook his less than prototypical size and believes in his medicals, Finnegan could be selected anywhere between pick #8 and the supplemental 1st round.

Jake Stinnett  RHP  University of Maryland

7-Word Scouting Report: Massive Man, Fresh arm, Above-Average Fastball Slider

Stinnett is a physically intimidating man, listed at 6-4 215lbs, with an aggressive, bulldog-like approach on the mound. In addition Stinnett’s repertoire consists of a 91-94mph fastball with natural sinking action that he commands to both sides of the plate. Furthermore, Stinnett features an above-average 80-82mph slider that he throws for strikes, along with the occasional 81-83mph changeup.

As a senior with a perceived fresh arm due to being a third baseman early in his career, Stinnett will appeal to teams looking for a fast moving pitcher who lacks leverage in contract negotiations and should sign for the slot bonus. Stinnett has two quality pitches in his fastball and slider, solid command of the strike zone, and a changeup that shows potential – this along with excellent size gives him a chance to be a #3 or #4 starting pitcher in the majors. He should be selected sometime on Thursday evening.