Originally touted as one of best high school pitching prospects from Illinois in 2017, Reid Detmers followed his commitment to the University of Louisville, improving his draft stock. Coming out of his junior season, Detmers looks primed to land as a top-ten selection.
In high school, Detmers was drafted in the 32nd-round by the Atlanta Braves. Scouts felt that he did not have ‘wow’ stuff, and that plus his commitment to Louisville led to his draft stock slipping as far as it did. Now, he is arguably the most polished left-handed pitcher available. MLB.com lists him as the eighth-best prospect.
Detmers is a six-foot-two-inch left-handed pitcher, weighing in at 210 pounds. His big, durable frame and smooth delivery helped make him one of the best starters on the US collegiate national team in the summer of 2019. During the 2019 NCAA season, he was named ACC Pitcher of the Year and was selected First Team All-America by D1Baseball, NCBWA, ABCA, and Perfect Game.
Strengths
Reid Detmers throws three pitches, all receiving grades of average or better. His fastball, graded 55/80, sits in the 90-94 MPH range. The velocity of the pitch is perceived to be greater than it actually is as Detmers is able to throw it by hitters with good command.
He also changes eye level and disrupts timing with a slow curveball that sits in the 72-76 MPH range. The pitch also has a 55/80 grade, and it proves to be his out pitch. This fastball, curveball combination led to him striking out over half of the batters he faced in the abbreviated 2020 season (48/91). On top of that, he was second in all of NCAA Division 1 in 2019 with 167 strikeouts.
The fastball and curveball are the best two pitches in his arsenal. He also utilizes a sinking circle changeup, which scouts grade a 50/80. This pitch has come a long way for Detmers, who did not have a great feel for it in high school.
His pitch mix and his IQ when throwing them led to constant improvement in college for Detmers. His ERA and WHIP dropped each season while his K/9 rose. Through four starts in 2020, he was pitching to a 1.23 ERA and 1.00 WHIP, with only 22 of the 91 batters he faced reaching base.
Weaknesses
One weakness to Detmer’s game right now would be his fourth pitch, a cutter. However, that is by circumstance. He incorporated the cutter to his repertoire in 2019. It showed promise throughout the summer and fall seasons, and he planned to use it more during the 2020 season before it was cut short. The cutter has a harder break than his curveball, and it allows him to throw a pitch in on the hands against right-handed hitters.
Another weakness could be his velocity. As noted, his pitchability causes batters to perceive the pitch to be faster than it is, but it still tops out at 94 MPH. From time to time, his velocity can slip into the high 80s. Scouts grade his control at 55/80, which is good. The lack of overpowering top-end velocity will require more reliance on his control as he faces more advanced hitters.
MLB Comp
Reid Detmers is comparable to former Louisville Cardinal, Brendan McKay. McKay was drafted fourth overall by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2017 as a two-way player. His pitching ability has similarities to Detmers. The two have near-identical builds, but McKay’s pitches possess slightly more stuff than those of Detmers.
McKay has a higher velocity on his pitches, with a fastball averaging 93.7 MPH and a curveball averaging 81.7 MPH. They each utilize pitch mixes including a fastball, curveball, changeup, and cutter. In his 49 MLB innings, McKay shied away from his changeup in favor of the cutter. At this point in time, Detmers has been the opposite although that could change as he develops the cutter.
Regardless, both men complement their fastball with a curveball more than any other pitch. Additionally, the two received identical grades from scouts for their fastball, changeup, and control heading into the draft.
Although he does not have overpowering-top-end velocity, Detmers’s pitchability makes him one of the top prospects in the 2020 draft. He is projected a top-ten pick without extensive use of his cutter. As he continues to develop that pitch, he cements himself as one of the most complete pitchers available.
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