Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | DET | RHP | 5 | 55 |
Grades Update: Nov 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CB | CH | Ctr/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 45 | 55/50 |
Nov 2020 Report
Evaluator: James Chipman
Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-6
Weight: 215 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 Draft - Round 1
RuleV: Eligible
Physical Description: Accurate 6-foot-6 and 215 pounds list; frame resembles a strong NBA shooting guard or small forward thanks to his tall yet athletic, sturdy workhorse build. Formerly the owner of a rail thin wiry frame on draft day, Manning has worked hard and filled out nicely; adding exceptional core strength and muscle definition throughout his upper and lower body. He has broad shoulders, long limbs, a high waist, strong thick legs and large hands and feet. Has bloodlines: son of former NBA player Rich Manning. Premium athlete with impressive hand eye coordination: former standout basketball and baseball player. Injury history includes low-level oblique strain in March of 2018 and season ending forearm strain in August of 2020.
Delivery & Mechanics: A touch taller than the ideal pitchers build, Manning's athleticism and coordination shine yielding simple, clean and well repeated mechanics through the release point. This wasn't always the case, however. A fast learner and student of the game, his work ethic and pro instruction has yielded significant gains in the refinement of repeating his delivery, improved tunneling and arm slot consistency. Manning fires the ball almost effortlessly from a high 3/4 arm slot with impressive, borderline ridiculous extension - increasing the perceived velocity on an already electric arsenal. He utilizes his tall frame, long levers and high arm slot to generate steep downward plane, resulting in copious amounts of weak contact. His leg kick and arm speed create some deception but the hand break exposes the ball pretty bad behind his back and through the release. Manning holds runners adequately and fields his position well.
Fastball: Manning's heater sits comfortably in the 93-96 mph velocity band. He holds velocity well and will routinely bump upper-90s. His arm speed and elite extension pad the perceived velocity. There's some pitchability and manipulation as he'll add and subtract at times and move the ball around the zone to both sides of the plate. His fastball features natural sink low, and solid arm-run elsewhere in the zone. He commands the offering fairly well. Overall it's a plus offering that should fare well at the big league level. Grade: 60
Curveball: Lethal weapon. Legitimate swing and miss, put-away offering at the highest level. At its best when it's 78-80 mph with 12/6 shape, tight rotation and nasty sharp late break. Will occasionally uncork a slightly less optimal and unintentional firm, low-80s slurvy variation. Can spot the breaking ball to both sides of the plate. Has shown the ability to throw it for strikes early in the count and as a strikeout spike pitch out of the zone. Has gained consistency over the years giving it legitimate plus potential. Grade: 60
Changeup: Predominately firm sitting 87-88 mph with occasional desired velocity and tumble with fade. Flashes solid-average, but mostly sits below-average lacking consistent feel and conviction. Maintains arm slot and tunnel; slows arm-speed on occasion telegraphing the pitch, guiding it to the plate. The offering has made significant gains with pro instruction and Manning's track record of pitch development suggests the offering could reach solid average overall but until I see more consistency and less below-average easy takes, I'll stand firm on 45. Grade: 45
Control and Command: An aggressive strike thrower, Manning has above-average control. Manning has made strides, lowering his walk rate each season. He routinely gets ahead early, stays in favorable counts and limits his walks. The right-hander shows the ability to command both sides of the plate fairly well - he'll challenge batters inside and he often works the upper third of the zone to finish off his prey. The only knock on the profile is predictable sequencing. Manning leans heavily on his fastball and breaking ball; giving a pause, adding some additional reliever risk. Nitpicking aside, Manning's command has improved annually and projects solid-average moving forward. Control: 55 | Command: 50
Overall: A physical specimen, freak athlete and student of the game, Manning has posted significant mechanical and arsenal gains annually since draft day. His impressive plus fastball, plus breaking ball and ability to miss bats carry the profile. A recent season ending forearm strain and reliever risk due to a short arsenal that's heavily reliant on two pitches, create some pause and uncertainty. Modest gains in the development of his change-up and pitchability should mitigate those modest deficiencies. Should that fail to come to fruition, the profile still yields a solid high leverage reliever. His future role may be undetermined, but Manning will undoubtedly have a solid big league impact.
OFP: 55
Role: 60 - #3 SP or Above-Average High Leverage Reliever
Risk: High
