Porter is an older High School star as he recently turned 19. Nevertheless, he may be the most talented prep arm in the draft. He won Michigan’s Gatorade player of the year in 2021 and has followed that up with a dominant 2022 season. He also had the opportunity to pitch in Comerica Park in a playoff game for St. Mary’s. All he did was strike out 16 and toss a no-hitter. Let’s take a look at possibly the first pitcher selected in July.
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Brock Porter, Pitcher, St. Mary’s Prep (MI)
*Height:* 6’4″
*Weight:* 205
*DOB:* 06/03/2003
*Bats:* Right
*Throws:* Right
*Fastball:* 70
*Curveball:* 50
*Slider:* 55
*Changeup:* 60
*Control:* 50
*2021 Stats:* 12-0, 0.87 ERA, 62.1 IP, 26 H, 12 BB, 126 K
*2022 Stats:* 7-0, 0.45 ERA, 46.2 IP, 7 H, 20 BB, 95 K
Porter is quite advanced for a High School pitcher. He has been a star among the Michigan baseball world since 2019 and has been able to hone his craft with one of the best teams in the country. As you can see from the stats above, Porter is not used to losing. In those 109 innings he has thrown over the past two seasons, he has allowed just two extra-base hits. The big right-hander has also faced 405 batters and has struck out an incredible 54.6 percent of them.
Strengths
Porter has an elite fastball. Not only does he bring it around 96 mph, touching 100, but he also has excellent spin on it which gives the pitch armside run. He matches that with a changeup that is easily plus as he throws it in the low-80s with similar arm action to his heater. Porter’s slider is an above-average offering in the mid-80s as well. It still has a chance to be a plus pitch with more work on improving the spin on it.
With a solid three-pitch mix right now, Porter has the upside teams love. He has the body type to be a workhorse starter once he fills in a little more to his 6-foot-4 frame. The Clemson commit has shown that he can keep his velocity and command deep into outings. His delivery is easy in a consistent arm slot, and he has great extension allowing his stuff to play up.
Weaknesses
Being nitpicky here, Porter is old for a player with no college or minor league experience. How he handles professional baseball hitters is still a question, but that is something time will tell. His fastball-changeup combo is top-notch; however, the command of his slider is still a work in progress and his curveball lags behind the rest of the pitches in his repertoire.
Pro Comparison: Lucas Giolito
Giolito has changed his pitch mix since coming into the league, and it currently looks similar to what Porter throws. The fastball-slider-changeup combo makes up nearly 95 percent of Giolito’s pitches. Porter is similar and he has an even greater disparity in velocity between his pitches than the White Sox big righty. If the first-round talent can refine his command and add a curveball to the mix, he has the chance to be an ace at the major league level.
Draft Prediction: Washington Nationals, Round 1, Pick 5
Aside from Andry Lara, the Nationals don’t have any other pitchers in their top 30 under 21 years old. With the big bats coming off the board in the first four picks, the Nats also have an opportunity to get Porter under slot, similar to what the Kansas City Royals did when they drafted Frank Mozzicato with the seventh pick last year. If they draft him this early, not only could they keep him away from Clemson, but they will also get the most advanced prep pitcher in the draft.
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