Justin Lange

Lange looked fairly pedestrian at the 2019 Area Code Games with a fastball that ranged from 86-93 mph, no real breaking ball and a lot of hard contact allowed. But he looked significantly better at the Future Stars Series at Fenway Park in the fall, when he was up to 95 mph, struck out four batters and also ran a 6.50 60-yard dash. He took an additional step forward this spring by getting his fastball all the way up to 100 mph, some of the best pure fastball velocity in the 2020 class. Lange has all of the foundational pieces to be an impact pitcher at the next level. He is tremendously athletic with easy, high-octane velocity and lots of natural life on his fastball as well. With a 6-foot-4, 191-pound frame, it is easy to see him filling out and maintaining his fastball velocity deeper into games. While Lange has some of the best natural arm strength in the country, he is extremely unrefined. His command is near the bottom of the scale and his slider is a work in progress, with well below-average grades and inconsistent spin at best. The pitch has impressive velocity, getting into the upper 80s, but the shape and spin need plenty of work. Perhaps 10 years ago, Lange’s arm, projectable body and athleticism would make him a no-doubt first-round pick. Today, teams are more skeptical of hard-throwing prep righthanders, but he has enough projection and athleticism to believe he can make the necessary control improvements. Any player development program would love to work with Lange’s collection of high-end tools instead of watching him go to Dallas Baptist, and it’s possible a team buys into his upside at some point on the draft's first day.