Steven Jennings
Born:
11/13/1998 (Age: 25)
Bats:
Right
Throws: Right
Arm Slot:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 175
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Throws: Right
Arm Slot:
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 175
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period:
2nd Rd., 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft (PIT)
Entry Point: High School
Options Used: N/A
Entry Point: High School
Options Used: N/A
Report Info
| Evaluator: | John Eshleman |
| Report Date: | September 6th, 2018 |
| Dates Seen: | August 10, 2018 |
| Level: | Rk |
| Affiliate: | Bristol Pirates |
| MLB Team: |
|
| On 40-Man Roster: | No |
Physical Description
Thin, narrow frame, especially lower half. Not weak, but lacks physicality. Could add a few pounds of strength in both upper and lower halves.
Mechanical Notes
Low-effort, repeatable SWU from three-quarter slot. Belt-high leg raise, shoulder tilt, collapses plant leg, stays closed, lands online, follow through to plate. Arm action: clean break, a little stiff in arm circle, long in back, average arm speed and extension, overall smooth operation.
| MLB ETA | Present Role | Future Role | Role Description | Risk | 2022 | P | 45 | Swingman | High |
|---|
| Pitch | Present | Future | Sitting | Range | Comments |
| Fastball Value | |||||
| Overall Fastball Value | 40 | 45 | — | — | Lack of movement makes average velo play down, despite above-average command. Pitch will not miss bats and will yield hard contact when player is not precise. |
| Lack of movement makes average velo play down, despite above-average command. Pitch will not miss bats and will yield hard contact when player is not precise. | |||||
| Fastball Velocity | 50 | 50 | 92 | 90-93 | Consistent, held it well. Physically does not project to gain velo. |
| Fastball Velocity | |||||
| Fastball Movement | |||||
| Fastball Movement | 40 | 40 | — | — | Straight, with soft off-barrel run to armside; lacks movement across zone to glove side. Minimal plane. |
| Straight, with soft off-barrel run to armside; lacks movement across zone to glove side. Minimal plane. | |||||
| Fastball Command | |||||
| Fastball Command | 40 | 55 | — | — | Stayed mostly to edges of zone; loses up and out over plate, but player repeats his quiet delivery well. Shows ability to change eye levels and move in and out. Should further stabilize delivery with pro reps to improve consistency. |
| Stayed mostly to edges of zone; loses up and out over plate, but player repeats his quiet delivery well. Shows ability to change eye levels and move in and out. Should further stabilize delivery with pro reps to improve consistency. | |||||
| Curveball | |||||
| Curveball | 40 | 50 | 77 | 76-78 | 3rd pitch; 12-6 shape with inconsistent, fringy sharpness. Needs to hit spots; can't hang. Kept down, flashed ability to move it in and out and backdoor, but needs to (and should) find more consistency in depth, sharpness, and location w/ reps for it to play to average. |
| 3rd pitch; 12-6 shape with inconsistent, fringy sharpness. Needs to hit spots; can't hang. Kept down, flashed ability to move it in and out and backdoor, but needs to (and should) find more consistency in depth, sharpness, and location w/ reps for it to play to average. | |||||
| Slider | |||||
| Slider | 20 | 40 | 83-84 | 83-85 | 4th pitch. Very slight horizontal movement; will catch too many barrels to play at MLB level in zone. Inconsistent location projects to improve with the delivery and repetitions, but will only play as scarce cross-up pitch. |
| 4th pitch. Very slight horizontal movement; will catch too many barrels to play at MLB level in zone. Inconsistent location projects to improve with the delivery and repetitions, but will only play as scarce cross-up pitch. | |||||
| ChangeUp | |||||
| ChangeUp | 50 | 55 | 83 | 82-85 | Best pitch; above-average separation w/ plus horizontal action as it fades. Throws in any count with confidence; likes to start it on plate and run off armside edge; can locate in zone and will need to against better hitters. Especially hard on LH; more weak contact on RHs at highest level. |
| Best pitch; above-average separation w/ plus horizontal action as it fades. Throws in any count with confidence; likes to start it on plate and run off armside edge; can locate in zone and will need to against better hitters. Especially hard on LH; more weak contact on RHs at highest level. | |||||
| Control | |||||
| Control | 45 | 55 | — | — | Can get too fine with FB but is able to put in zone with regularity; should work ahead and get early count contact. At maturity, change-up can be go-to strike pitch. |
| Can get too fine with FB but is able to put in zone with regularity; should work ahead and get early count contact. At maturity, change-up can be go-to strike pitch. | |||||
| Attribute | Present | Future |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery | Plus | Plus |
| Athleticism | Average | Average |
| Pitchability | Plus | Plus |
| Mound Presence | Average | Average |
Overall Summary
Fringy fastball limits player's ceiling to #6-7 starting pitcher role. Will be able to get MLB outs on strength of command, change-up, and ability to sequence but player lacks the raw stuff to stick in rotation full-time.
