Shane McClanahan

The top college lefthander in the 2018 draft class, McClanahan possesses some of the best raw stuff of any draft-eligible player in the country led by a fastball that can reach 100 mph. That number would have seemed absurd after seeing McClanahan prior to his senior season at Cape Coral (Fla.) High, when he was throwing a mid-80s fastball. But McClanahan went through a massive growth spurt around that time, going from 5-foot-6 to the 6-foot-2 he's currently listed at and touched 94 mph at times during the spring of 2015. Three years later, and through his first 10 starts of the 2018 season with South Florida, McClanahan is regularly in the mid- to upper 90s with his fastball and has used that pitch to help him lead the country in strikeouts per nine innings (15.02), with 94 strikeouts in 56.1 innings. At just 188 pounds with a lean frame that could still add more weight, McClanahan doesn't get that sort of velocity with a huge, muscular build but instead with a lightning quick arm out of a low, three-quarter slot in a delivery that some scouts describe as high-effort. In addition to his fastball, McClanahan has a mid-80s changeup and a slider, both of which project as plus pitches down the line although the changeup is currently more consistent than the breaking ball. McClanahan isn't without warts, however, as he already had Tommy John surgery, which sidelined him during the 2016 season, and is regularly erratic to the plate. McClanahan has a history of being more of a thrower than a pitcher at this point, with more than five walks per nine innings through his first 10 starts in 2018. Durability will be a question mark with McClanahan as well, as many college pitchers around him on draft boards have a much longer track record of performance and summer history. Still, the pure stuff he offers from the left side is a rare commodity and one that teams at the top of the first round will likely pounce at given the opportunity this June. McClanahan offers the potential of a top-of-the-rotation southpaw if everything breaks right and he improves his control and command. Assuming good health, a worst-case scenario for McClanahan would likely be taking on the role of a shutdown reliever.