RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target in drafts ~pick 121
CURRENT ADP: ~147 overall
ANALYSIS: A headliner in the Juan Soto trade that sent the 2019 World Series champion to the Bronx, Michael King is on track to finally become a full-time starter out west. After performing very well out of the bullpen in a setup role for the Yankees, King was given the opportunity to start nine games for New York in the second half of 2023.
In that second half, he posted a solid 2.73 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 56 innings with 76 strikeouts. While he did not go deep in many of his starts, it was promising to see his play translate from the bullpen to a starter. King excelled in generating punchouts with a dominant 29.5% K rate (88th percentile) and 29.4% whiff rate (73rd percentile).
Even more impressive, while maintaining a high strikeout rate, King also did very well in limiting hard contact. He placed above league average in barrel rate, hard-hit rate, and average exit velocity in 2023 and would also have in 2022 if he met the innings requirement.
Michael King collects his first K with the Padres
Michael King shows off his stuff by striking out David Fry in the top of the 4th inning, giving him his first strikeout with his new team
Guardians @ Padres#PadresST | February 26, 2024 pic.twitter.com/yw3hBLy0KA
— San Diego Strong (@PadresStrong) February 26, 2024
The 28-year-old should still be drafted with caution as he has yet to be in a starting rotation for more than two months. This is a reason to be hesitant to pull the trigger on draft day, but it is not his fault the Yankees never provided him the opportunity to be a starter. He was dominant out of the bullpen for them, and there was little reason for the Yankees to change his role.
However, he is a very talented pitcher that could dominate if given the opportunity. King currently slots in as the No. 3 option for San Diego behind Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish. Do not be surprised if King provides solid ratios with excellent strikeout numbers in 2024.
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