1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP
Birthdate: 8/23/93 (23 years old)
Level(s) Played in 2016: AA, AAA, MLB
Stats in 2016: 116 2/3 IP, 1.93 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 14.62 BB%, 30.97 K% (minor league stats only)
Glasnow is a guy who is an impressive figure on the pitching mound at 6’8″, and he’s been a guy who has been on the prospect radar since being a 5th round selection out of high school in 2011.
Glasnow has an elite fastball that he gets exceptional plane on from his height, reaching upper 90s and sitting consistently in the mid-90s late into games. The fastball gets a ton of swing and miss with heavy late sink on the pitch.
Glasnow features a plus curve to pair with that fastball, and it also gets a ton of swings with a huge break on the curve. That break has been the major issue with the pitch as Glasnow has had struggles keeping the pitch in the zone because it would drop so far on him.
His change is a fringe-plus pitch that can flash as a definite plus pitch at times, especially when he gets on top of the pitch and can get the late cut on the pitch that he can get, which gives him the look of his fastball all the way until the ball darts rather than sinks.
Glasnow has the big issue that most guys of his height do – staying consistently in his mechanics. He takes a big step forward with his long legs, and when he gets off in his landing spot, he can struggle to locate in the zone.
Due to the tremendous movement he gets on his pitches, he will always have some issues with walk rate, but he’ll also get a ton of swing and miss. I’ve been an advocate for a long time for guys to use the split finger more, and Glasnow is a perfect example of a guy who that would work tremendously well as a fourth pitch.
He’ll nearly certainly open the season in the Pirates rotation, and the big righty will figure prominently in top 100 lists this offseason.
Next: Newcomer to Watch