The Diamondbacks used the 31st overall pick on a prep right-hander, taking Blake Bryant out of Citizens Christian Academy in Georgia in a move that came as a bit of a surprise.
Bryant is a big presence on the mound at 6-foot-6, and the appeal starts there. He gets excellent extension and carries a four-pitch mix that gives him a real starter’s foundation. He doesn’t profile as the kind of pure power arm his frame might suggest, but the stuff is already good and there’s more in the tank as he continues to fill out.
His fastball sits in the mid 90s, and his breaking stuff has shape and movement. The question is how much more velocity and consistency come as his body matures.
The reports around Bryant all point in a similar direction: a highly projectable high school arm with a chance to keep climbing. Baseball America described him as a lean, athletic pitcher with one of the cleaner deliveries in the prep class, noting that he has been up to 96 mph, typically sits in the low 90s, and has the arm speed and projection to reach upper-90s velocity in the near future. They also pointed to a slider in the low 80s, a curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s, and a mid-80s changeup, calling him a projectable starter with midrotation upside and noting his commitment to Clemson.
FanGraphs saw a similar ceiling, calling Bryant a Clemson commit with a power pitcher’s fastball/curveball combination, a very projectable frame, and a delivery that is whippy, if fairly violent. They noted that his fastball has vertical ride, that his curveball can disappear below the strike zone, and that if he adds more velocity as he fills out, he could end up with two plus pitches. Their read: a likely top 50 pick and a potential no. 4 starter.
MLB Pipeline highlighted just how dominant Bryant has been on the showcase circuit, including a six-strikeout outing at East Coast Pro last summer and a finish that included catching likely early first-rounder Jacob Lombard looking at a 95-mph fastball. They also pointed to his work at Citizen Christian Academy, where he helped the school win the Georgia Independent School Association Class A championship in both his junior and senior seasons. He capped his high school career with a two-hit, 12-strikeout shutout in the finals this June.
Pipeline listed Bryant at 6-foot-6 and 182 pounds, with a fastball that sits at 91-94 mph and reaches 97 with ride and armside run. They also noted two breaking balls - a sweeping low-80s slider and an upper-70s curveball - plus a fading changeup that comes in a bit firm in the mid-80s. Their conclusion was straightforward: he has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter.
For Arizona, the pick fits a clear need. The Diamondbacks need pitching in their system, and Bryant gives them a projectable arm with size, athleticism, and relatively few red flags. He may not have been the flashiest name available, but he brings a starter’s frame and a development path that should draw plenty of attention once he gets to the Arizona Complex or into A-ball.
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