azrider wrote:once again props to the 11th time reigning MVP of BSG, the Big E. **this post brought to you by Philly the Kid** ya. don't know how this doesn't get old for you. i appreciate the work and effort you put in here as always.

A high school player from the state of Oregon hasn't been taken in the top two rounds since the Cardinals took Carson Kelly in the second round of the 2012 Draft. Abel, who helped pitch his Jesuit High School to a state title, was named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year and then pitched well at a variety of summer showcase stops, should be the first Oregon prepster to go in the first round since Matt Smith back in 1994.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander shows flashes of three plus pitches, starting with a fastball that was regularly in the 93-95 mph range this summer, though he tired a bit near the end of his run. He throws it downhill with good life at the bottom of the zone and then can come back with a four-seamer up in the zone with riding action. His 82-86 mph slider is a very effective pitch, and he also has feel for a curveball with more over the top rotation to it. The two morph into each other at times, but there's enough differentiation to believe he could throw both in the future, along with a future plus changeup that he sells with good arm speed and features sink and dip at the end.

The Oregon State recruit generally throws strikes and he gets as high marks for his maturity and makeup as he does his stuff. He's only going to get stronger and throw harder as he physically matures, something he showed a glimpse of in one outing this spring before things got shut down, giving him the chance to be the first prep arm to come off the board in June.

TLDR
Prototypical high school pitching prospect: Big frame, good-looking delivery, velo, breaking ball
Full Report
Abel is a high school pitching prospect straight out of central casting. He has the prototype starter's frame at a broad-shouldered 6-foot-4, he already throws hard and might throw harder as that frame fills out, he has strong natural proclivity for spinning his breaking stuff, and he'll also flash a really good changeup once in a while. His sitting fastball velocity slipped throughout his showcase summer while Jared Kelley's did not, but Abel was still reaching back for 97 early in outings and the rest of his profile is more complete than other pre arms. His location and the timing of the COVID-19 shutdown mean Abel didn't pitch in varsity games this spring, but he threw deeper into the fall than most of his peers in the preceding few years and might actually benefit from the extra rest, especially after what happened to his velo throughout last summer.

16. Mick Abel, RHP, Jesuit (Ore.) HS, Age: 18

Abel is the best high school pitcher in the class, which is a bit peculiar to say since he never got on a mound this spring. He established himself over the last two summers as a capital-g Guy, regularly working 92-95 mph with a power curveball in the low 80s, getting on top of the ball well in a delivery that takes advantage of his 6-foot-5 frame. He also has a solid-average changeup that he hasn’t had to use much, and of course, didn’t get to show off any progress he might have made this offseason because his school’s entire schedule was canceled. High school pitchers are inherently risky, but among that group, Abel seems to offer the best mixture of high upside (No. 2 starter, if not more) and probability (if healthy, he’s almost certainly a starter), and should be one of just a couple of prep arms to go in the first round.

Wheels Tupay wrote:any rumors on signability?

CFP wrote:Is this the first sign of a new regime? Feel like based off what we’ve seen lately, they would have taken Cavalli or someone similar if Almaraz were in charge.

azrider wrote:once again props to the 11th time reigning MVP of BSG, the Big E. luv ya. don't know how this doesn't get old for you. i appreciate the work and effort you put in here as always.

Wolfgang622 wrote:

azrider wrote:once again props to the 11th time reigning MVP of BSG, the Big E. luv ya. don't know how this doesn't get old for you. i appreciate the work and effort you put in here as always.

It's truly mind-bending.

* Adley Rutschman told Baseball America that he couldn't believe the pitches he caught came from a high school pitcher, and that "you rarely see an arm that good," adding that Abel's repertoire is "electric" and "smooth."

* Based on his build, arm strength and quality of repertoire, some have mused that Abel's future MLB comps could be Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg or Braves right-hander Mike Soroka.

* Abel has spent time while off the field with Northwest Children's Outreach, packing clothes for foster kids. He's also spent time helping adults with disabilities and seniors in nursing homes.

* Last offseason, Abel hit the weight room and added 18 pounds to his 6-5 frame.

* There are two other high school pitchers in the top echelon of this year's class with Abel -- Jared Kelley and Nick Bitsko. While Kelley has a better fastball and Bitsko has a better curveball, in terms of full repertoire, Abel may have them both beat.