Javier, Cristian

Summary: Stuff has backed up from last year.  Velo is down 1.2 MPH, and the spin rate is off 100 RPMs.  This is having an effect as he pitches up in the zone with his FB and it’s gone from a double-plus pitch to a grade below and bad things are happening.  His slider, though, is the biggest problem.  Velo and spin are also off, but the location is more in the heart of the plate than on the black.  He’s still young, so perhaps the stuff being off is more of a 2022 workload problem than anything else. Long-term, I think we see a solid number three starter, but with his size (6-foot-1) and lack of true high-end velocity, he MUST have excellent command of his pitches to be considered for anything more than a #3 starter.  This is why you want to draft/roster big pitchers that throw hard.  Just a lot more to play with.  Shorter guys who have below-average FB velo have little room for error.

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