Notes:
- Body: Right away from looking at his frame and body, you see a football player. He isn't maxed out, but is body was clearly developed in a weight room. While thick-ish, He has room to add some weight to both his upper and lower body, but his current size seems ideal.
- Delivery: He releases the ball well in front of his body following a long aggressive stride.
- Release Point: One could call his arm slot high 3/4 or over the top, either is appropriate.
- Wind-up: Lee is pretty demonstrative to the plate due to his lengthy stride. His motion looks clean and effortless and should be very repeatable as he gains more experience.
- Stretch: It would serve him well to develop a slide step if he is going to use - do I have to think of another word for long? - his current stride. Though, his battery mate did catch some guys stealing.
- Fastball: According to the announcers he 93 on a 3-0 get-me-over fastball in the 4th. Generally, the pitch had little movement, but he worked off it all night and there was only one hard hit fastball the entire outing.
- Change up: Very little feel for this pitch tonight. No control and little fade. It did have some downward action when he got it down in the zone, but that wasn't often.
- Breaking Ball(s): This is where Lee really shined. Consistency shape (i.e. ball is breaking the same way, and not being hung in the zone) is what I look for in evaluating the true usefulness of a breaking pitch. Lee didn't hang one slider or curveball the entire night and was consistently throwing a 12-6 CB and a hard biting slider with 11-5 action. Outside of one great piece of hitting (2B in the 4th off a CB, I believe) hitters looked lost against these pitches.
- Command/Control: He was inconsistent in the zone, but showed great potential to have above average or well above average command.
- Summary: Reports are that Lee's fastball ranges from low to mid 90s. I would like to see him work on getting movement on the pitch or developing a cutter. His fastball won't be as overpowering at the major league level. With time and experience, I think the command will be above average and maybe plus. His body and arm are in control, he is a great athlete. It was good to see him use the change, but it needs a lot of work. This should be his main area of focus going forward.
- Projection: I see him fitting in as a strong number three starter innings eater type. He'll miss bats with those two breaking pitches, but will have trouble with LHH until he develops a change. If his velocity begins to sit in the mid-90s that could help to negate the straightness of the pitch. Though, he does have upside. Given his age and background (raw HS football quarterback) his aptitude appears to be well above his current talent level. If he can develop an average change up, I don't see why he can't be a two.
