MLB: The Five Pitchers on the Brink of a Breakout in 2019

#4 Chris Paddack

Chris Paddack, a 23-year-old right-hander, may just be the prize of the rich San Diego Padres system. The entire rotation is young and would qualify for this list, however, Paddack may be the gem of them all. He is only second to Mackenzie Gore in terms of the Padres’ prospect rankings of starting pitchers.

Paddack posted impressive numbers in high A ball in 2018, forcing the Padres to promote him to AA mid-season where he made seven starts and finished the season. An impressive showing earned him a spot among the multitude of young starter options the Padres had in Spring Training.

This is all it took for him to earn a rotation spot, a small opportunity to let his supreme talent shine through.

His standout pitch is a filthy change-up that not only bottoms out but breaks away from lefties and towards righties. First, his primary pitch he aims to establish is his fastball which is typically in the range of 94-95 mph. He can locate his fastball within the strike zone at an exceedingly high rate, that is to say, that he can establish his fastball by throwing it for strikes. It perfectly sets up his change-up, which then can be used to keep batters off balance.

Its drop in velocity is difficult to see from the opposing batter’s perspective, as it comes out of the hand similarly to the fastball. It has such a devastating effect because the eye level from release to the glove is so dire, it can go from belt high to below the strike zone.

His curveball is not quite as effective, yet is productive enough to provide another contrasting look for opposing batters. A full season with the Padres might see Paddack complete nearly 150 innings, a drastic increase from his 90 innings in 2018. At the same time will be under the tutelage of superior coaches that can assist him in reaching his potential by developing his three effective pitches.

Here it is obvious that he has a natural talent that may allow him to compile loads of strikeouts. Three lefties, Brandon Belt, Brandon Crawford, and Gerardo Parra, all were overwhelmed by the significant drop of the change-up and struck out swinging.

Therefore, a big season seems to be in store for the future ace in MLB and San Diego.