Cade Cavalli was ranked Oklahoma’s high school top pitching prospect in 2017 which ultimately ended up getting him drafted 880th overall by the Atlanta Braves in the 2017 MLB Draft. Cavalli grew up a mere two hours from The University of Oklahoma. In a March 2018 interview Cavalli told The Oklahoman about being a Sooner. “A Sooners fan, born a Sooners fan, and it’s just like I knew I wanted to play here, and as soon as I got the opportunity, I took it.”
Cavalli passed on the Braves and chose to attend the University of Oklahoma. Cavalli’s 2019 season at Oklahoma was a success, boasting a 3.28 Earned Run Average over 60.1 innings as a sophomore.
The 6-4, 224-pound right-handed pitcher is the 22nd-ranked prospect according to MLB.com.
Strengths
Cavalli has an outstanding MLB power pitcher build. He possesses an above-average fastball that sits in the mid to upper 90’s and rates as a 60 on the 20-80 scale. Additionally, Cavalli has a plus curveball rated as a 60 on the 20-80 scale.
Cavalli also has a slider and a changeup. His slider is slightly above average rated at 55. While his changeup is average rated at 50.
Carlos Collazo of Baseball America writes: “Cavalli is armed a big fastball that is routinely up into the upper-90s and he gets there with ease thanks to one of the better bodies in the draft and a clean delivery.”
This is very promising, a nice, easy delivery is something that can help a pitcher increase control and decrease injury chance.
Overall Cavalli has an excellent build alongside two plus pitches.
Weaknesses
There are two main concerns when it comes to Cavalli as a prospect:
The first is his durability, Cavalli has missed virtually his entire senior season in high school due to back issues. Additionally, he missed time during his 2019 collegiate season due to a stress reaction in his arm. Injuries are never good, especially when both caused him to miss good chunks of time.
The second main concern is his control. On the 20-80 scale, Cavalli’s control was rated at 45. Five points below average. Plenty of pitchers in the MLB have low control and still find success in the league.
Regarding both his injury history and his lack of command, MLB.com had this to say about Cavalli. “Though he has a strong 6-foot-4 frame and clean mechanics, he doesn’t have much track record of staying healthy or throwing strikes. His lack of command and deception also means that his premium stuff gets hit harder than it should.”
Once again, if Cavalli can add more control to his pitching game, he has a chance at being a very productive major league pitcher for years to come.
MLB Comparison
St. Louis Cardinals reliever Ryan Helsley is the first player who comes to mind when thinking of Cade Cavalli. Helsley, another Oklahoma native, has a fastball rated at 60 that can reach 98 miles per hour but normally sits around 95. Helsley’s arsenal also has an average curveball and a below-average changeup. Cavalli is a little taller but overall they have a similar build and pitch mix.
If Cavalli can gain control and add another plus pitch his future is very bright. Cavalli has a similar archetype to many swingmen on big-league rosters today. He can either start or come out of the bullpen. He is a very valuable piece especially when it comes to playoff time.
In conclusion, Cavalli is a high upside power pitcher with a power fastball, curveball combination. If he gains more command he can be in the league for a very long time.
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