3 Under the Radar Pitching Prospects to Watch
Gage Stanifer, Michael Forret, Caden Scarborough
In this article, I cover 3 pitching prospects that are buried deep into their respective team’s farm system rankings, yet are off to hot starts this season. Each prospect has intriguing traits that make them primed to climb up lists this season.
Gage Stanifer - TOR
Gage Stanifer, a 19th round pick by Toronto in the 2022 draft, looks like he has found his footing in Lo-A this season. Stanifer's results are backed up by a substantial increase in velocity and overpowering 3-pitch mix. Stanifer stands at a sturdy 6'3" and 201 lb and utilizes a short arm stroke to add a layer of deception into his delivery. He doesn't get far down the mound with just 6 ft of extension, but he is able to release the ball from a 3/4 slot at a lower than average release point at 5.5 ft.
This delivery works well with his ability to generate ride on his fastball that is up +3 MPH compared to last season. Now sitting at 95-96 MPH with over 17" of iVB, Stanifer throws his fastball over 60% of the against both LHH and RHH. It's shallow vertical approach angle works incredibly well as a whiff generator because he consistently locates it high in the zone. His slider is one of the nastiest pitches at the level thanks to its "deathball" shape in the mid 80s. His short arm action makes it difficult for RHH to pick up out of hand and its steep drop generates some ugly swings. Stanifer's final offering is an 86-87 MPH changeup which he exclusively uses against LHH and mainly as a put away offering. It's large vertical deviation from his fastball gives it an ideal shape to stun batters. While it hasn't generated many chases or whiffs, it has been his most effective weapon at inducing weak contact.
It's a dependable arsenal filled with 3 potential plus offerings, making Stanifer a safe bet to fall back into a long relief role for Toronto if his command falters. He has showcased improved strike throwing ability this season in tandem with a large velocity bump, although he hasn't worked too deep into games, topping out at just 72 pitches. His strides thus far make him one of the most intriguing arms in the Blue Jays pipeline and a surefire riser in their system.
Michael Forret - BAL
Michael Forret excelled following his 14th round selection of the 2023 draft as he worked his way to Hi-A in his first pro season. Before heading to the IL with a back injury in late April, Forret flashed a vastly improved fastball and more refined command, which sparked his hot start to the season.
His fastball velocity still sits at 93-95 MPH, however it is generating over +2" IVB this season, where from his 5.8 ft release propelled it into plus territory. His cross-bodied release leads to some funky angles, including a flat vertical approach which has devastated batters this season. He is also doing a much better job zoning the offering after he struggled throwing it for strikes last season. Forret supplements his strong fastball with a wide array of secondaries, including a sinker and a pair of both breaking balls and offspeed offerings. His sinker is exclusively used against RHH where it's nearly a foot and half of run jams batters on the inner thrid. The first breaking ball is a curveball with "deathball" shape, and the other being a slider with two-plane movement. Both pitches sit in the low 80s and have returned strong results this season. We are not done with Forret's arsenal because he throws two distinct offspeed offerings: a splitter and a changeup. He opts to use both offerings against LHH as a putaway pitch, where their movement differential from his fastball helps them play up. His splitter's low spin nature and ability to kill vertical movement flashes plus traits, while his changeup generates a lot more arm-side action.
Forret wields an extremely deep arsenal headlined by a plus fastball. The command gains are the most important part of his development and make him one of the most intriguing arms in Baltimore's system.
Caden Scarborough - TEX
Caden Scarborough was selected in the 6th round of the 2023 draft out of Harmony High School but didn't make his pro debut until July 2024 following a strained lat. Despite the late start, Scarborough hit the ground running with an impressive display of athleticism and stuff.
He has a projectable frame and has started to tap into more power this season with an additional +2 MPH on his fastball, which now sits at 94-95 MPH and maxes out at 97 MPH. He generates a flat VAA on the offering from his lower 3/4 slot which helps it generate plenty of swing and miss high in the zone. It also exhibits 14-16" glove-side movement to help it run away from LHH ands keep RHH honest on the inner third. The biggest knock on his otherwise strong fastball is his inability to land it for strikes early in the count. Scarborough pairs his fastball with a low 80s slider with a ton of sweeping action. From a stuff perspective, it is easily a plus offering and flashes plus-plus traits when it is located well, especially against RHH. He rounds out his arsenal with a changeup that sits in the mid 80s and flashes solid traits, but his feel for the offering is poor.
Scarborough has a silky smooth delivery and is limiting walks while throwing much harder. His fastball and slider combo give him a fantastic foundation to build upon, and he has the perfect frame to develop as a starter.
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