CHI
Shane Baz, P
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Scouting report
Fastball velocities were down about a tick and a half on average across all of the alternate sites, which makes sense considering it was a non-competitive environment. Recall that the last we saw Baz, he was parked at 95-99 and touching 101 in the 2019 Fall League, working out of the bullpen with his fastball, curveball, and cutter/slider. He did not throw during Feb/March spring training and instead joined the team at the summer tuneup camp and then at the alternate site in Port Charlotte, where his velocity (according to a source not with the Rays) was more in the 93-96 range, which is where he pitched as a starter during the 2019 regular season. This could be because he was working as a starter at the alt site (he was back to throwing four pitches there, as the changeup came back) or because he was told to dial it down and throw more strikes, or because adrenaline doesn't really flow when nothing is on the line, or some combination of these factors. I'm not inclined to move Baz in light of this (obviously) because he's still only 21 and probably had a weird year like the rest of us. I'm still betting on his frame, athleticism, and stuff. Maturity will likely come with age, though I'm not sure better tactile feel for release and location will, so I still have Baz projected in a high-leverage relief role. (Alternate site)