Kenta Maeda
Born:
04/11/1988 (Age: 36)
Bats:
Right
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Throws: Right
Arm Slot: High 3/4
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 170
Primary Position: RHSP
Seconday Position: -
Acquisition Period:
Signed as international free agent, January 7, 2016 (LAD)
Entry Point: IFA
Entry Point: IFA
Report Info
| Evaluator: | Dave DeFreitas |
| Report Date: | February 16th, 2016 |
| Dates Seen: | 2008-2015 |
| Level: | MLB |
| Affiliate: | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| MLB Team: |
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Physical Description
Slim, slender; athletic, wirey frame.
Mechanical Notes
Control (60/60): Feel with all pitches. Works ahead, doesn’t shy away from contact and no hesitation to use off-speed down in count. Fills up zone, will challenge.
DECEPTION (50/50): Quick, clean arm; hides it a little in back; more about location than deception.
| MLB ETA | Future Floor | Future Ceiling | Realistic Role | Risk | 2016 | 50 | 55 | Role 50: Strong #4 SP | Moderate |
|---|
| Pitch | Present | Future | Sitting | Max | Comments |
| Fastball | |||||
| Fastball | 55 | 55 | 88-92 | 94 | Quick arm, late life in zone, especially when down. Will get some ride up in zone; can find extra gear at times. COMMAND (60/60): Good job staying out of middle of plate; works both edges with ease and good feel for the bottom of zone; comfortable working in on lefties. Will change eye level. Locates Cutter to both sides. MOVEMENT (60/60): Hard sink, two-seam action to both sides; gets bore in on righties. Two-way pitch, late cut glove side. |
| Quick arm, late life in zone, especially when down. Will get some ride up in zone; can find extra gear at times. COMMAND (60/60): Good job staying out of middle of plate; works both edges with ease and good feel for the bottom of zone; comfortable working in on lefties. Will change eye level. Locates Cutter to both sides. MOVEMENT (60/60): Hard sink, two-seam action to both sides; gets bore in on righties. Two-way pitch, late cut glove side. | |||||
| Curveball | |||||
| Curveball | 50 | 50 | 71-75 | 78 | Variations; 12-to-6 breaker with tight rotation, snap; good arm speed. Feel for spin, locates to both sides; comfortable going out of zone for put-away. Will back off and have it roll at times; likes to use early in count. |
| Variations; 12-to-6 breaker with tight rotation, snap; good arm speed. Feel for spin, locates to both sides; comfortable going out of zone for put-away. Will back off and have it roll at times; likes to use early in count. | |||||
| Slider | |||||
| Slider | 55 | 55 | 80-82 | 83 | Go-to pitch; 3/4 depth, tight; will use in any count. Some variations; has it get big at times, especially early in count; dials up with late bite for put-away. |
| Go-to pitch; 3/4 depth, tight; will use in any count. Some variations; has it get big at times, especially early in count; dials up with late bite for put-away. | |||||
| ChangeUp | |||||
| ChangeUp | 55 | 55 | 81-85 | 87 | Good arm speed, feel; circle fade with occasional hard bottom. Mainly use on lefties; shown prior effectiveness vs righties. Has become 3rd pitch. Tinkers, lost some of the late action recently, can flatten out. Still a chance to get back to solid plus. |
| Good arm speed, feel; circle fade with occasional hard bottom. Mainly use on lefties; shown prior effectiveness vs righties. Has become 3rd pitch. Tinkers, lost some of the late action recently, can flatten out. Still a chance to get back to solid plus. | |||||
MiLB Stats
Overall Summary
Strong #4 starter with plus command/control of four average pitches. Plus athlete that gets good angle for his size. Relies on movement and location; looks for soft contact, but can reach back for a little extra velo when needed. He is around the zone a lot and will give up his hits, but see the strikeouts coming up as he gets away from contact-heavy NPB. Solid make-up guy, not at all scared, battles, makes adjustments on the fly; will keep team in the game; solid mound presence and the ability to win without best stuff. Effort in the delivery, but it's clean and controlled and he knows how to throttle up/back. Concern regarding elbow inflammation over last two-plus seasons. Believe he will need added rest during first MLB season as he adjusts to five-man rotation, and deeper major league lineups.
