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Nick Lodolo 2023 MLB Player Outlook: Late-2022 Push to Ace Status
2 years agoAfter the All-Star break in 2022, Cincinnati Reds lefty Nick Lodolo pushed himself into a conversation that his draft status when he came into the league had assumed he would become an ace someday. Lodolo amassed 1.7 fWAR in the second half, equal to Corbin Burnes, Sandy Alcantara, and more than Gerrit Cole. Among qualified starters, the southpaw posted a top-10 strikeout rate (30%) while also keeping the ball on the ground at a 47.2% rate, the sort of combination that is required for success at Great American Ball Park. The lefty did all of this by relying heavily on a three-pitch blend of his four-seam fastball, sinker, and his slider. The 24-year-old's slider graded out as one of the best in baseball in the second half. Hence, the combination was obviously effective, and he should be ready to take the next step toward becoming a frontline starter in 2023. Lodolo is coming off the board between the 35th and 40th starting pitcher, so he's a tremendous value right now in drafts.
