Atlanta Braves Lefties Named in MLB Pipeline Top 10
By Fred Owens
This evening MLB Pipeline announced its list of the top left-handed pitching prospects in baseball and two brand new Braves were on the list.
Braves Pitching Depth Reborn
Jonathan Mayo’s list of the tope left handed pitching prospects for MLB Pipeline includes Sean Newcomb (4) and Kolby Allard (10). This marks the first time is a very long time the Braves have a big presence at the top of the pitching prospects list and highlights how far the Braves pitching depth has come since the end of 2014.
The Braves took a chance on Allard as their first round pick in this year’s draft after other teams passed on him over concerns about a stress reaction in his back. The Braves took a good look at his medicals and decided that injury wasn’t as big a deal as others who had TJ Surgery.
In Baseball America’s pre-draft scouting report (subscription required) they said that Allard had “. . . a firm fastball that has touched 96 and sits in the low 90. . . (an) easy feel for the strike zone . . . (and) hand speed to throw a tight, plus downer curveball.
After signing with the Braves Allard started just three rookies league games throwing six innings before the end of the season. As much as we hated to see Andrelton Simmons leave getting Newcomb in return eased the pain if only slightly. In Mayo’s post he says of Allard “. . .he has the chance to be a front-line starter, with an exciting combination of stuff, athleticism and feel for pitching.”
Newcomb was the first round pick – fifteenth overall – of the Angels in 2014. As a college pitcher he was advanced enough that after just three innings of rookie league ball he moved up to A ball. After that season Baseball America ranked him the Angels’ number two prospect and spoke in glowing terms about the big lefty.
". . . Newcomb is a big-bodied left-hander who draws comparisons with former Red Sox ace Jon Lester for his size, physical appearance and delivery. He projects to have three plus pitches, with a riding, 91-95 mph fastball that has life above the barrel. Scouts believe . . . (he shows the) easiest velocity of any pitcher in the draft in recent memory. . . (his fastball) has touched as high as 98 mph . . . (and) gets on the batter quickly. . . his command keeps the hitter in swing mode . . .a curveball he delivers at 74-80 mph, with a spin rate already well above major league average. . . (and) a changeup at 78-82 mph that he throws with armside action and good arm speed. . . .(that) projects to be at least average. . . He has very good makeup and is mature and composed on the mound. Newcomb’s body is built to burn innings, making him a potential mid-rotation starter capable of logging 200-plus innings per year. . ."
After starting in A- ball again in 2015 he quickly moved up to A+ then AA ball and impressed at every stop.
Mayo says Newcomb’s control needs work but once that’s corrected, “. . . Newcomb he has front-line starter written all over him. Those Jon Lester comparisons aren’t too far-fetched.”
That’s A Wrap
As Mayo suggests lefties are in big demand and the Braves depth in that area doesn’t end with the two newbies. Max Fried would likely be in the majors next year had injuries not held him back. A complete recovery could see him making a push for the 2017 roster. While the Braves RHP didn’t crack the top ten the list for MLB Pipeline put together by Jim Callas, there are at least two and maybe three who should be in the top twenty.
The Braves front office has done an admirable job of quickly rebuilding minor league pitching depth, Here’s hoping they find a way to add offense as well.