Zach Linginfelter

A bout of mononucleosis ruined Linginfelter’s chances to be a top draft pick coming out of high school in 2016, and the Nationals’ 19th-round selection last year wasn’t enough to buy him out of returning to Knoxville for his junior season. This spring, Linginfelter has been very up and down. After two years working primarily out of the bullpen, he moved into Tennessee’s weekend rotation in 2019. He showed moments of greatness—including striking out 13 batters in six dominating, shutout innings against Indiana early this season. But he also had three other outings in which he was knocked out before the fourth inning began, which explains his 5.16 ERA. Repetition and consistency are key for Linginfelter going forward. He has a great arm, but his delivery too often falls apart as he closes himself off and loses feel for the strike zone. He can sit 92-95 mph and touch 97 mph with his plus fastball. His mid-80s slider and changeup are both average pitches with his breaking ball flashing above-average and even plus at times with power and depth. His control is average as he can find the strike zone, but his command lags far behind that. He frequently catches too much of the zone, which explains why he’s given up 10 home runs this year. Some scouts say he would be best off to move directly to the bullpen in pro ball, where his fastball and slider would potentially play as plus pitches. But a team with a long-term view may see him as a big, 6-foot-5, 220-pound righthander who just needs plenty of time to develop consistency.