BBB Top Prospect Countdown #12: Brady Lail
Brady
Lail checks into the BBB’s top prospect list at number 12. Since being selected
in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB draft, the would-be University of
Arizona pitcher has risen through the ranks of the Yankees farm system. Lail
has pieced together solid seasons including a 2015 campaign going 10-6 with a
2.91 ERA over 148.1 innings that landed him in triple-A Scranton by the end of
the year. Lail looks to continue where he left off and potentially make it to
the Bronx before 2016 is all said and done.
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| Photo Via Times Leader |
Breakdown
Lail
came into professional baseball with a fastball that sat in the lower 90s and a
curveball that was projected to be his go-to strikeout pitch. Although his
fastball has not progressed in velocity, his control over his pitches has
allowed him to mow down hitters across all levels of minor league ball. Lail
burst onto the scene in 2012 pitching to an ERA of 1.42, albeit in just 12.2
innings.
He
would follow that up with a stellar 2013 season going 5-1 with an ERA of 2.92
in 61.2 innings across 12 starts (14 total appearances). And in 2014, Lail
would impress with an overall record of 11-5 with hitters batting .262 against
him. However, as he has reached higher levels of the minor leagues, one area of
concern is his low-end strikeout numbers.
Despite
only striking out 5.2 batters per nine innings pitched, Lail would still enjoy
an even more successful 2015 year. His WHIP was elevated due to an increased
number of walks, but after reaching Scranton (and making 7 starts there with
mediocre results), Lail was still able to cement his place on the triple-A
roster come opening day of 2016.
Projection
With
Lail starting the season with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, he has his
sights set on reaching the Bronx by the end of 2016. Potentially, Lail could
make it as a September call-up with injuries and subtractions to the 40-man
roster and a solid showing in AAA forcing his way onto the 40-man.
Upon
making it to the big leagues, Lail has various projections across the board
with some projecting him to be a versatile reliever, with others see him with a
middle of the rotation upside. Ultimately, Lail should work his way into a
major league rotation whether he is a back-end or middle of the rotation type
of pitcher. His 4 pitch arsenal of a fastball, curveball, change-up and cutter
should give him the boost he needs to get to the MLB and stick when he finally
makes it. Overall, I’m a believer in Brady Lail and I’m excited to continue
tracking his progression.
You
can view his minor league stats here.
You can keep up with our full top 30 list with links to our breakdowns HERE.
Article
by: Chad Raines
Follow
me on twitter @Chad_Rain
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