NYH
Ethan Small, P
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Scouting report
Small had a sketchy 2021 spring with the big club and walked an uncharacteristically high number of hitters early in the year, but his strike-throwing has been more in line with his historical rate lately. He blows his low-90s fastball (which has big carry) past opposing hitters. Small’s best secondary pitch remains his changeup. There were doubts about him ever finding a competent breaking ball when he was drafted and so far, his slider and curveball remain below average. But that there are now two distinct breakers here instead of just the one he had in college, and that's a meaningful development. Small also does all sorts of crafty stuff -- like varying his timing to the plate in several different ways -- that disorient hitters. He still projects as a No. 4/5 starter with a shot to make the back of the Top 100 as a 50 FV if the command and/or breaking balls tighten up.