Originally Posted by
Enscheff
Statcast data is up.
FF: 96.8 MPH, 7.1x, 9.0z
That FF velo is a 70+ for a LHer (they throw ~1 MPH slower than RHers overall), and would make Gohara the hardest throwing LHed SP in the game if he were to maintain it over a full season. It has average rise, and above average horizontal movement. I have no problem calling that pitch a 70 based on last night, but it will likely settle in as a 65 over the course of a full season. Still, this is the best fastball currently on the Braves roster. This pitch is as advertised.
SL: 84.4 MPH, -1.9x, 0.3Z
Good velo, above average tilt and sink. Overall, this is a 60 pitch. However, we saw him throw good ones at 85-87, and bad ones at 82-83. The good ones were really good, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him refine his slider a bit and make it a 65+ pitch.
CH: 89.4 MPH, 9.7x, 8.0z
This pitch has some good fade, but it is a disaster overall. It's too hard (delta is 7.4 MPH, average is about 9), and it has almost zero sink. I would say it's a 35/40 and almost unusable in it's current form.
Command: We obviously saw poor command last night, especially when he tired after about 60 pitches. His motion looks easy and balanced, and he seems like a decent athlete for his size, so I have no problem putting a future 50+ on his command.
Overall: Gohara has 2 plus to plus/plus pitches. He has an awful change. He appears to have stamina issues. That profile screams elite high leverage BP arm.
If he can dial in the control (I think he will), improves the change a bit (somewhat likely for a 21 year old), or scraps the change all together, and improve his stamina (something that should not be an issue for a professional athlete, but may be in Gohara's case), he has the makings of a 2-pitch 3+ WAR SP. If his command gets better than average, and/or his change improves into an average pitch, his ceiling is even higher.
I still think he is destined to be the next elite young closer though. And by elite I mean Kimbrel/Jansen territory.