Gowdy in XST

[bigegypt0417]

Reading comprehension is a skill.

I always love when people tell me what I meant to say.

No...it's pretty clear what you meant to say because you say it over and over.

All picks and LA signing are based on some type of projection. You're stating the obvious and what we all already know.

[bigegypt0417]

Medina is at least in the conversation...

I'm a bit curious about Medina - during his last outing the reports were that he was throwing something like 95-97 mph. He may have been able to peak that in the past, but mostly he was a 91-94 guy.

His velocity keeps going up and with that his ability to miss bats...

[Austinfan]

There's no projection with Sixto, he's already got a ML elite FB, he just needs to get stronger (Stamina) and polish his secondary pitches.
Some guys are what they are, even out of HS, and it's just a matter of refinement.
Others are projections, and that's always risky, because sometimes the velocity never develops.

Prospects aren't cookie cutter, there's quite a range in timing of physical maturity and innate skills.
You can be big and strong, but never develop the arm speed to generate elite velocity.
Sales is a scrawny guy, but he has natural strength.

[andyb]

I have seen Medina reports in the mid-90s before. He is probably more able to sustain it now over a game of course.

The bigger development though is likely in his secondary pitches would explain the increase in his K rate. Scouting reports had him flashing a curveball and change last year with plus potential and just starting on a slider. Those offerings have likely improved as his K rate improves. 2080 did mention him last week though not sure it is a detailed scout filing the report:
https://2080baseball.com/2017/06/minor-league-roulette-prospect-notes-for-the-week-ending-june-11-2/

I do think the Phillies stress strike throwing to their younger arms in short season leagues and gradually expand their approach in later years which often leads to a higher K rate. In other words he might be throwing his offspeed pitches just outside of the strikezone more often now intentionally where his goal in the past had been to throw strikes and have a lower pitch count.