Kyle Wright's Stuff

[Enscheff]

The early data on Wright's stuff was....weird. That made analyzing his arsenal difficult, and perhaps pointless.

He has now thrown 128 pitches in 2020, and this data appears much more "normal".

FA: 95.0 mph (Grade 55/60), -6.4" XMov (Grade 60), 7.0" ZMov (Grade 30)

A flat 4 seamer with good arm-side fade. He needs to be careful locating this pitch, as if he gets it up it doesn't have the rise to miss bats. He probably needs to work this pitch down, like a bad sinker.

SL: 90.7 mph (Grade 75), 1.2" XMov (Grade 45), 2.5" ZMov (Grade 45)

This is being classified as a Slider, but it's really more of a Cutter...or a very hard Slider...a Slutter. We've seen him back-foot LHB with this thing, and its velocity makes it very effective when paired with average Slider movement.

SI: 93.4 mph (Grade 55), -8.6" XMov (Grade 50), 3.1" ZMov (Grade 60)

This simply appears to be the 2 seam version of his FA, with expected increase in arm-side run and sink. If he keeps it down this can be an effective MLB pitch.

CU: 82.0 mph (Grade 60), 6.5" XMov (Grade 60), -4.6" ZMov (Grade 50)

Folks paying close attention will notice Wright throwing 2 breaking balls. This is the slower one in the low 80s. Another plus pitch.

CH: 7.5 mph delta (Grade 50), -7.7" XMov (Grade 50), 2.7" ZMov (Grade 60)

Yet another good pitch. When coupled with Wright's breaking balls down and in, this pitch breaking away from LHH may turn out to be a very effective compliment.

Overall:

I guess I was expecting to see some wipeout stuff, but what we see is a 5 pitch arsenal of above average or better pitches (the FA may be just average, but will play up if located correctly). Depending on command progression, that's a prototypical 2/3 SP that folks argue about being a TOR guy despite being just below that level. It's very easy to see why Wright is going to get many chances to stick in the rotation while he works on execution.

[Super]

great stuff.
seems everything depends on his command, as right now it doesn't seem too great.
but like you said, he's going to get tons of chances, and with good reason. hopefully he isn't a guy that puts it together once he's gone.

[Super]

also, the fact that Wright's stuff was so "weird" initially lends some credence to the idea that Ian Anderson's CB doesn't actually have such a bad spin rate and the small sample data is just off.

[Tapate50]

Any different data on last night? Seemed the Slider was getting deposited 8 rows deep on the reg.

I really thought that pitch was his calling card coming out.

[Enscheff]

Any different data on last night? Seemed the Slider was getting deposited 8 rows deep on the reg.

I really thought that pitch was his calling card coming out.

I can't find a way to get movement data split by game, but Wright certainly threw a few cement mixers up there in the middle of the plate that got hammered.

It's the same story with Wright as always...until he executes his arsenal of good pitches consistently, he is not going to succeed. The stuff is there, but he's a bit like that guy next door with a nice set of tools he doesn't know how to use, and can't fix anything.

[Mrs. Meta]

Seems like a good time to bump this topiclol

[Enscheff]

The early data on Wright's stuff was....weird. That made analyzing his arsenal difficult, and perhaps pointless.

He has now thrown 128 pitches in 2020, and this data appears much more "normal".

FA: 95.0 mph (Grade 55/60), -6.4" XMov (Grade 60), 7.0" ZMov (Grade 30)

A flat 4 seamer with good arm-side fade. He needs to be careful locating this pitch, as if he gets it up it doesn't have the rise to miss bats. He probably needs to work this pitch down, like a bad sinker.

SL: 90.7 mph (Grade 75), 1.2" XMov (Grade 45), 2.5" ZMov (Grade 45)

This is being classified as a Slider, but it's really more of a Cutter...or a very hard Slider...a Slutter. We've seen him back-foot LHB with this thing, and its velocity makes it very effective when paired with average Slider movement.

SI: 93.4 mph (Grade 55), -8.6" XMov (Grade 50), 3.1" ZMov (Grade 60)

This simply appears to be the 2 seam version of his FA, with expected increase in arm-side run and sink. If he keeps it down this can be an effective MLB pitch.

CU: 82.0 mph (Grade 60), 6.5" XMov (Grade 60), -4.6" ZMov (Grade 50)

Folks paying close attention will notice Wright throwing 2 breaking balls. This is the slower one in the low 80s. Another plus pitch.

CH: 7.5 mph delta (Grade 50), -7.7" XMov (Grade 50), 2.7" ZMov (Grade 60)

Yet another good pitch. When coupled with Wright's breaking balls down and in, this pitch breaking away from LHH may turn out to be a very effective compliment.

Overall:

I guess I was expecting to see some wipeout stuff, but what we see is a 5 pitch arsenal of above average or better pitches (the FA may be just average, but will play up if located correctly). Depending on command progression, that's a prototypical 2/3 SP that folks argue about being a TOR guy despite being just below that level. It's very easy to see why Wright is going to get many chances to stick in the rotation while he works on execution.

So what, if anything has changed with Wright in 2022? He had a flat FA, a good SI, a hard SL, a good CU, and a good CH. We saw him routinely fail to execute this good arsenal, and got destroyed regularly.

In his last start he leaned heavily on the curve, as it was his most thrown pitch.

He threw his sinker much more than his 4 seamer, which is good because it's a better pitch. He also threw it harder at 94.3 mph, so it's a legit offering.

He appeared to use his 4 seamer sparingly, which is good considering it's in that meatball range of 7.1" of rise. That pitch can probably just go away.

His change was used sparingly. He somehow added even more movement to the change, and it could be a real weapon if he learns to execute it.

The slider usage tanked, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps he is phasing it out in favor of the curve. Maybe a good idea for guy who struggled to execute.

Overall, I'm hoping to see him ditch the 4 seamer, go roughly equal parts sinker/curve, and polish that change to the point he can make it an out pitch. That hard slider/cutter might be something to add back in once he establishes some success at the MLB level.