Zach Lingenfelter
| Evaluator: | Adam McInturff |
| Report Date: | February 20th, 2018 |
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Linginfelter has been on the national radar since high school, when he was an All-American and played at numerous major events on the circuit. Old for his class, the right-hander qualifies by age for the draft this June, and he’s one of the country’s better draft-eligible sophomores. He had some hiccups in the opener against Maryland, though he showed the same raw stuff and physicality that have scouts intrigued. Linginfelter allowed two runs in four innings of work, allowing six hits with six strikeouts against three walks. Only 41 of his 78 pitches (52%) went for strikes, and he averaged nearly 20 pitches an inning while laboring through his four frames. Built with a prototype power pitcher’s frame at 6’5’’ and 225 pounds, Linginfelter will sit in the 92-to-94 mph range and runs it up to the high-90s with heavy armside life. His breaking ball can be a quality pitch when he’s able to finish it correctly, though a noisy crossfire delivery and recoil effort through his release cause the consistency of his off-speed to waver at times. Armed with imposing size and raw stuff, he will get every chance to prove he can improve his control and consistency as a starter this season at the front of Tennessee’s rotation. Linginfelter has the type of stuff and profile that could take very well to the bullpen if he ultimately isn’t efficient enough with his pitches to project in the rotation. |
