Dylan Stop was 21 years outdated and coming off of his first full skilled season when Eric Longenhagen evaluated him for our Chicago Cubs High Prospect listing in January 2017. Stop was then ranked seventh within the system, with Eric assigning him a forty five FV and suggesting that he was extra probably a reliever than a starter down the street. Stop has clearly adopted a extra profitable path. Now 29 and about to start his seventh massive league season, and second with the San Diego Padres, the right-hander has been a top-shelf starter for 4 years working. Over that span he has toed the rubber 130 occasions — no pitcher has began extra video games — and logged a 3.52 ERA and a 3.32 FIP. Twice he’s completed high 4 within the Cy Younger Award voting.
What did Stop’s 2017 FanGraphs scouting report appear like? Furthermore, what does he consider all of it these years later? Wanting to seek out out, I shared a few of what Eric wrote and requested Stop to reply to it.
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“Stop has carried out an admirable job at quelling what was as soon as a violent head whack whereas nonetheless retaining the form of velocity that made him an thrilling prep prospect.”
“That sounds form of like an old-school baseball factor,” Stop responded. “However… I don’t know. Perhaps that was a factor? I do know that I had a really lengthy arm stroke. I’d need to see video, however I don’t recollect it being like loopy violent. Normally, in the event you’re a starter you’re not too violent. Perhaps it was, however my having very lengthy arm motion was essentially the most memorable factor.”
“He was additionally flashing a plus curveball within the 79-81 mph vary throughout instructs, however the pitch is extra constantly common and, at occasions, beneath when it featured an simply identifiable, shapely hump out of his hand.”
“It’s humorous, as a result of there was no Trackman information,” Stop mentioned. “If it was right this moment, it will be like, ‘It’s shifting at 15 or 18,’ or no matter. However yeah, whereas my curveball is fairly good, it’s by no means been my largest swing-and-miss [pitch] or something like that. So I’d say that was in all probability pretty correct; it did come out generally. I truly don’t [throw a curveball] as a lot anymore.”
“There are a number of issues about Stop, starting from his dimension to his command to a scarcity of a 3rd pitch; he has little or no changeup really feel proper now.”
“That’s by no means modified, the changeup a part of it,” Stop agreed. “I’ve by no means actually been a plus-command pitcher both. I’ve my spurts, however for essentially the most half it’s simply getting my good things within the strike zone. I’ve additionally by no means been the most important, however right here we’re.”
“Stop truly pitches with little bit of aircraft when he’s working down, due to his vertical arm slot.”
“That sounds proper,” he replied. “My slot is identical now, however with shorter arm motion. I really feel like that modified in my first or second yr within the massive leagues. It simply occurred. I used to be engaged on my decrease half, and for no matter cause it simply form of performed out that means.”
“His fastball has sufficient life to overlook bats up within the zone when he’s lacking his spots.”
“I feel that’s simply saying after I’m throwing heaters up within the zone, even when they’re out of the zone, generally I get the swings and misses,” Stop reasoned. “Mainly it’s received good life. As for [the part about missing spots], truthfully, I feel I used to be simply attempting to throw it over; I used to be simply attempting to get it within the zone.”
“I’ve gotten a Yordano Ventura comp on Stop — undersized, hard-throwing righty with good curveball really feel.”
“That’s fairly good,” Stop mentioned with a nod of the top. “I imply, Yordano threw a bit bit more durable than me, however we each had energetic arms.”
“He tasks as a possible mid-rotation arm if the changeup and command enhance, however he’s extra more likely to wind up in aid.”
“I do keep in mind seeing that rather a lot as a younger participant, the bullpen side,” Stop recalled. “However yeah, just about it was, am I going to develop a 3rd pitch, or get one or two pitches which are swing-and-miss, that may purchase me a number of occasions by means of the order? I added a slider, which I didn’t have at that time. So I added my greatest pitch. I at all times had the velo, and you probably have two good pitches you possibly can form of sprinkle in the whole lot else and have them primarily play off one another. That’s labored out for me.”