Spencer Howard Has A Devastating Slider
4 years agoPhiladelphia Phillies starting pitcher Spencer Howard didn't live up to expectations as the team's top prospect last year, but he showed flashes of his potential. The 24-year-old right-hander sat at 94 mph with his fastball and touched 97 mph and displayed a devastating slider that held opponents to a .217 average while generating whiffs on 40.7 percent of their swings. Howard profiles similarly to Trevor Bauer and Lucas Giolito based on velocity and movement, per Statcast. He had his workload managed by the Phils in 2020, but he should begin the 2021 season in the rotation and could be given the opportunity for a normal workload. Howard will need to disguise his changeup better and mix in more curveballs, but MLB's No. 42 prospect has big-time upside as a late-round selection.
Source: MLB.com - Paul Casella
Source: MLB.com - Paul Casella