Sean Newcomb

Newcomb wasn't a priority follow in high school and walked 38 in 45 innings as a Hartford freshman. He took off in 2013, however, ranking second in the nation in strikeouts per nine (11.5) and landing a spot in the Cape Cod League. A bout of mononucleosis interrupted his Cape stint. Newcomb has flashed mid-90s velocity but more often pitches at 91-93 mph with his fastball from a sound delivery, and the ball gets on top of hitters because he does it so easily. He has plenty of projection left with a strong 6-foot-5, 240-pound workhorse body and a fresh Northeastern arm. He maintains his delivery and throws a lot of strikes with the fastball, though he tends to get away with elevated pitches against modest competition. His breaking ball wavers between a curve and slider, and scouts believe his arm slot lends itself more to a curveball. His changeup flashes promise, though he uses it sparingly. Scouts can dream on Newcomb more than the average college pitcher but also have less certainty because of his short track record.