Chih-Jung Liu - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	BOS	RHP	17	40

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	SL	CH	SPL	Cnt/Cmd
40	40	55	50	40	40	50/40

---

Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Physical Description: Average height but physically strong. Only slight projection remains in the body. Could add strength in his lower half in the coming years to help him maintain his best velocity deep into games.

Delivery & Mechanics: Deceptive delivery, from full windup Liu deploys an exaggerated leg kick with almost a slight hitch before extension (Tanaka-esque). Step and throw mechanics, clean arm action, from a three quarter slot. Low release due to height and drive. Shortens up operation from the stretch, shortens the height and extension of leg kick, will rush through his motion at times from the stretch and lose his feel for his fastball+slider combination. Good mechanics and plus velocity already are a good combination.

Fastball: Up to 98 mph in game as of last fall, sitting low to mid 90s at the moment. Fastball has good life and he can rise it and run it. Late life, will lose release at times and miss gloveside. Still improving feel but it's his best pitch. His best fastballs are elevated with flat approach angles and efficient backspin. Grade: 55

Slider: Slurvy breaking ball with gyro spin, his best sliders have little movement and little late vertical drop. Shows the ability to bury it when needed. Will lose release from stretch and command will waiver. Solid projectable second offering. Grade: 50

Changeup: Similar velocity band to his slider 80-83 mph, gets late fade, used less than splitter in game, only limited looks. Grade: 40

Splitter: Reported velocity in the high-80s runs with drop to his armside. Others will run too much and are easy takes for hitters. Limited feel at this point. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Liu's ability to command his arsenal from the stretch really knocks his overall command grades at the moment. At just 21 and a full year since the most recent game video, it's hard to know if Liu has improved in this area. He's at least an average strike thrower and when he repeats his motion he lives around the upper quadrants. Prone to leave his fastball over the plate and hang his slider when he loses his timing, as his arm drags. Control: 50 | Command: 40

Overall: Has the velocity and movement on his fastball, a secondary that's at least average and two pitches he can develop into a true third offering. Still waiting to make his debut in affiliated ball. Stuff to dream on and his lack of height is becoming less of a detriment and more of an asset. Very limited public profile.

OFP: 40
Role: 40 - Spot Starter
Risk: Extreme

---

Noah Song - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	BOS	RHP	7	50

Grades Update: Dec 2020

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cnt/Cmd
50	50	60	40	55	50	55/50

---

Dec 2020 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 200 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2019 Draft - Round 4
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tall, lean, and athletic, high waisted and broad shouldered, projectable frame long term, room to add good weight, without any conditioning concerns. Has had to keep up a strict physical regiment as a member of the Naval flight academy. Long levers, and room for growth.

Delivery & Mechanics: Higher effort mechanics with violence at the point of delivery. Head whack at release, arm speeds up at end of stroke. Arm lags early on in mechanics with stroke slightly behind timing wise at foot strike. Shorter arm stroke, release point from higher three quarters arm slot, side step to leg lift that contracts into the torso, closing off the front side during rock prior to stride. Above average extension, plus arm speed, and repeatability. Song's ability to repeat, and his lack of injury history quell some of the fears around the violence in his operation.

Fastball: Plus velocity will range from 92-97 mph from start to start. Will sit 94-96 mph for stretches and has been clocked up to 99 mph in game. Higher release point coupled with lower quadrant plan of attack will create downward plane on the pitch. Can rise and ride the fastball depending on location, showing advanced feel for the pitch. Works both sides of the plate with relative ease showing four quadrant command despite elevated velo and action. Adept at stealing strikes on the edges, and not frightened to pitch inside versus either handedness. Plus pitch. Grade: 60

Curveball: Softer breaking ball in the 75-79 mph velocity band. Loopy shape with 11-5 break, more of an early count strike stealer versus left handers on the outer-half of the plate. More of a change of pace than a true weapon in his arsenal. Grade: 40

Slider: Tighter break with sweepy movement to gloveside. Above average velocity, sitting 83-86 mph, near 9 o'clock spin axis with late drop. Absolute soul-stealer versus right handed batters, will steal strikes on the outer half after big horizontal break. Will backdoor to righthanders, tendency to be more changeup-centric versus left handed batters. Will lose feel at times and leave the pitch elevated, hanging it without it's best shape and it will get hit. Above average offering with split-heavy usage. Grade: 55

Changeup: A consistent above average offering during July 2019 looks, point of emphasis in development and heavily used in right on left matchups. Showed the ability to consistently pronate landing it armside with late fade and tumble. Good arm speed sells pitch in tandem with fastball. Consistently missed bats versus left handed hitters. Command still comes and goes and he will snap off some firmer off-speed. Grade: 50

Control and Command: It's a control over command profile, particularly when it comes to Song's secondaries. The aforementioned struggles with his slider losing shape, and the inconsistency of his changeup soften the overall control and command grade. His fastball feel is plus, though he will sail it from time to time when elevated, he does an excellent job of working both sides of the plate. An improvement in his command of his secondaries could see these grades raise upon further observation. Control: 55 | Command: 50

Overall: It's become cliche to utter "potential day one guy, if not for..." at this point. The proverbial elephant in the room and "if not for" in this instance is Song's military service. Song graduated from the Naval Academy in 2019, was given clearance to participate in the 2019 New York - Penn League season with Lowell before heading back to the Academy to enter Flight School. The unusual timing of the events of the last year perhaps have rendered the concerns around missed development time moot as he could return as early as the first half of 2021. What player returns and how long it takes him to regain his stuff are major questions within the profile. On the field he's an above average prospect with the pitch mix, strike throwing, ability, body and makeup to start. Whether the organization will fast track him to the majors in a relief role may depend on when he returns. If he does not return until late in 2021 or misses the season entirely there's a real chance (as he enters his age 25 season in 2022) that he's developed as a reliever with his Rule Five date looming that winter. If he returns early next season, the organization will have time to develop him as a starter for the better part of a year and half before having to make a decision on adding him to the active roster. A unique player and situation but a very talented pitcher.

OFP: 50
Role: 50-#4 or #5 SP or Above-Average High Leverage Reliever
Risk: Extreme

---