CAR
Kyle Muller, P
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Scouting report
Muller's stuff just keeps getting better. Though the developmental context of 2020 should lend some skepticism regarding to his retaining it, a three-year trend in his stuff runs from '18 all the way through this year's spring training. In 2019, Muller touched 98 but sat 91-95 during the bulk of his outings, and that fastball was complemented by a loopy, low-spin curveball and a changeup that had very little velocity separation from the heater. Then, while other pitchers lost about a tick and half of velo at the alt sites on average, Muller's was up. He sat 95-96 there, added spin and power to his curveball, saw his changeup movement beging to improve (which has continued through 2021 spring), and added a really hard slider in the 88-90 mph range. He was parked at 96 during 2021 spring training. On paper, Muller's ability to throw-strikes has regressed as he's climbed the minor league ladder and there's no way to know exactly how precisely he can wield this new stuff. While that may prevent him from being a starter, his stuff is so nasty that he projects to be a late-inning reliever if he moves to the 'pen. Even among big leaguers, Muller's Leviathan presence leaps out at you: this is a different type of athlete who has one of the sport's most impressive bodies, and he seems likely to overwhelm hitters with sheer stuff and physicality. (Alternate site)