Jump to content

2022 3rd Round Pick (#81): Nolan McLean- P - (Jr) Oklahoma State University


Recommended Posts

2022 3rd Round Pick Comp B (#81):  Nolan McLean- P - (Jr) Oklahoma State University

https://www.mlb.com/video/2022-draft-nolan-mclean-sb?t=mlb-draft

Stats

Baseball America: McLean showed impressive raw power as a righthanded hitter and big arm strength with a fastball in the mid 90s out of high school. He made it to campus at Oklahoma State where he also was on the university’s football team initially, before dropping the sport and focusing on baseball. A two-way player with the Cowboys, McLean has continued to show massive raw power with top-end exit velocities around 110 mph, though that power has come with significant swing and miss. In 2022 McLean hit .285/.397/.595 with 19 home runs and 16 doubles, but he also struck out 107 times—good for a 36.9% strikeout rate. Because of that, teams might now be more excited about his upside as a pitcher. He posted a 4.97 ERA over 25.1 innings out of the bullpen, with 39 strikeouts (35.1 K%) and 13 walks (11.7 BB%). He attacks hitters with a high-usage fastball in the 94-95 mph range that’s been up to 98 this spring. While he overwhelmingly pitches off the fastball, McLean has shown some potential with both a mid-80s slider and upper-70s curveball that flashes hard, downward bite. Both pitches have impressive raw spin (in the 2,800-3,100 rpm range) but he’ll need to develop considerably more feel and consistency. McLean looks the part of a former football player on the mound, with an extremely physical and strong 6-foot-3, 205-pound frame.

Initial Take: Doesn't turn 21 until the week after the draft, but this 6-3, 205 pound two-way player was announced as a pitcher so his professional future in on the mound. With just 27.1 college IP under his belt, McLean is going to be a challenge for the Orioles player development as he spent most of his college career as a position player. With a fastball that has been as high as 98 MPH while sitting in the mid-90s, the Orioles are betting they can take this arm and turn it into a major league pitching prospect. McLean becomes the highest drafted pitcher under the Elias regime.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Tony-OH changed the title to 2022 3rd Round Pick (#81): Nolan McClean- P - (Jr) Oklahoma State University

A two-way prospect with plus power and arm strength as a third baseman, McLean brings mid-90s heat on the mound. The rest of his repertoire needs love from pro player development. He'll show you a low-90s cutter, a mid-80s slider, and an upper-70s curveball, and all of them are inconsistent and tend to finish in the heart of the zone. But McLean is a special athlete with a special arm and he's barely pitched. He needs to refine at least one breaking ball to profile as a reliever.

ranked 118 on fangraphs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

#115 by MLB.com

 

Mayo and Callis also noted that if you are drafted in the first 10 rounds, it’s likely that you will sign.  Almost every single player has signed.  This means Porter is very likely to be signed. 
 

They are saying to watch Texas in R4 for him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MLB Network listed him as a pitcher and then two of the first three highlights had a ball getting launched over the wall.  We finally draft a pitcher and his only highlights involve giving up home runs?  Glad to see he's a two-way player and that was him at the plate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't understand our draft strategy. None of these guys are close to being MLB ready. Either they have huge swing problems, they are 18 (Holliday) or now we get a guy who will need development even though he's been in college four years. A fastball alone sounds like a reliever. 

I'm trying to be optimistic but it's hard. 

Edit: I was wrong, he's a sophomore, which makes this pick a little better I guess. I still think there were better pitchers available for sure. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Gofannon said:

MLB Network listed him as a pitcher and then two of the first three highlights had a ball getting launched over the wall.  We finally draft a pitcher and his only highlights involve giving up home runs?  Glad to see he's a two-way player and that was him at the plate.

I'm pretty sure he was hitting those HRs. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Gofannon said:

MLB Network listed him as a pitcher and then two of the first three highlights had a ball getting launched over the wall.  We finally draft a pitcher and his only highlights involve giving up home runs?  Glad to see he's a two-way player and that was him at the plate.

I believe as a pitcher he made 2 appearances.  He also DH'd, played OF and 3b.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, O-The-Memories said:

I really don't understand our draft strategy. None of these guys are close to being MLB ready. Either they have huge swing problems, they are 18 (Holliday) or now we get a guy who will need development even though he's been in college four years. A fastball alone sounds like a reliever. 

I'm trying to be optimistic but it's hard. 

Why would we be forcing picks that are MLB ready? We have tons of prospects knocking on the door. 

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...