Reid Detmers

Perhaps the most polished strike-thrower in the 2020 draft class, Detmers last year set a Louisville program record with 167 strikeouts and tied the program record with 13 wins. A 6-foot-2, 210-pound lefty with a workhorse frame, Detmers doesn’t have the biggest pure stuff, but is one of the more high-likelihood major leaguers in a deep pitching class. Detmers annihilated his competition before the 2020 season ended, striking out 48 batters (19.6 per nine) and walking just six (2.5 per nine) in four starts and 22 innings. Detmers’ fastball averages around 90-91 mph and touches 94 mph at his best, but it plays up and generates whiffs because Detmers is able to hide the ball well. Detmers also has outstanding control and command, along with one of the better breaking balls in the class. His low-70s curveball is a hammer, with massive depth and shape, which grades out as a plus offering at least. The pitch jumps out of his hand at times, and some evaluators have mentioned that it’s rare for a breaking ball with such a low velocity to fool professional hitters, but he has enough feel to add more power to the pitch at the next level if necessary. On top of his curveball, Detmers has a changeup that’s an above-average future offering and a slider that grades out as fringe-average, with little current usage. Scouts and coaches alike rave about Detmers’ competitive nature on the mound, and believe he has the makeup necessary to perform in any situation and at any level. It’s easy to throw a Brendan McKay comparison on Detmers thanks to both pitchers’ handedness, velocity and school. Others have cited Drew Pomeranz, who found major league success with below-average fastball velocity and a lethal curveball. A No. 3 starter is a solid future outlook for Detmers at this point, and he seems a safe bet to go among the top 10 picks.