Unowned

Joey Wentz, P

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Scouting report

It's been almost a year to the day of this list's publication since Wentz had Tommy John; he will begin the 2021 season finishing his last several weeks of rehab. Let's recall how he got here: Wentz was a two-way high schooler who spent his entire pre-draft summer as a position player while he rested his arm. His pre-draft spring was uneven but his velocity climbed as selection day approached, and he was 92-95 in a few outings just before the draft. Injuries (shoulder and oblique issues in 2018, then the TJ) and fluctuations in velocity (sometimes 91-93, sometimes 87-91) mixed with continued refinement of his secondary stuff. In addition to the overhand curveball he had in high school, Wentz has developed a fantastic changeup and it's become his best secondary pitch. So long as his velocity returns to normal, Wentz's fastball should play, as it has backspin and carry. The Tigers also seem to be pretty good at optimizing pitches and Wentz has only made a handful of starts in this org since being acquired for Shane Greene, so perhaps during rehab something about his breaking ball will change or tighten. To simply return to pre-injury form would put Wentz in the No. 4/5 starter range. (TJ rehab)