Jake Eder

Eder checked a lot of boxes out of high school as a strong, 6-foot-4 lefthander with a starter’s frame, a fastball that bumped 95 mph and a curveball that flashed above-average potential. After three years at Vanderbilt, Eder still checks a lot of those same boxes, but he is something of an enigma because of his inconsistency. Scouts still love the way Eder's arm works and believe he has close to a perfect pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, but his command is spotty and his fastball velocity comes and goes. One day he’ll sit in the 90-93 mph range, the next he’ll throw 92-96 and another day he could be 89-92. Eder’s breaking ball is a plus pitch when it’s on but, like his fastball velocity, is inconsistent. He lands his curveball for more strikes than his fastball, and he also has a fringe-average changeup in the mix. Eder has struggled to repeat his delivery going back to his high school days, although teams have seen him locked in enough to know he’s capable of putting everything together. Another question mark is Eder's track record as a starter. His started nine games as a freshman, but moved to the bullpen full-time in 2019, when he posted a 2.97 ERA over 39.1 innings. He started four games in the shortened 2020 season, striking out 27 batters but also walking 9 in 20 innings. Despite his inconsistencies, Eder seems like a safe lock to go in the first five rounds, with modest upside if he improves his control.