Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | MIA | RHP | 12 | 45 |
Grades Update: May 2021
| OFP | Role | FB | SL | CH | Ctr/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 55 | 50 | 40 | 45/40 |
May 2021 Report
Evaluator: Geoff Pontes
Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 223 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 2 CBB
RuleV: 2023
Physical Description: Tall, thin, long-levered, high waisted with long spider like legs. Strong and athletic with a muscular lower half.
Delivery & Mechanics: Semi-windup; drop and drive delivery; short claw arm action, over the top slot; high leg kick, contracts before drive, deep into back leg, glute dominant.
Fastball: Sits 93-95 mph, up to 97 mph in game. High ride fastball that's most effective high in the zone. Has the release height and size to create downward plane. Effective at missing bats, eating high in the zone. Struggles to maintain command but showed improved control in the spring of 2020. Above-average fastball that can play at plus when he locates. Grade: 55
Slider: Hard, tight, late breaking slider, sits 84-86 mph. Plays heavily low gloveside, shows the ability to locate there to either handedness. Go to out pitch and matches the swing and miss quality of his fastball. Somewhat limited in terms of location, limits it heavily to the bottom glove side quadrant. Average slider, that can play above-average for long stretches. Grade: 50
Changeup: Below average pitch; lacks command, will flash average shape, sells with arm speed, but struggles to locate. Shows some run and tumble on his best throws. Not a major part of Nicolas' arsenal. Grade: 40
Control and Command: Fringe average control that showed a full grade better over the truncated 2020 spring season at Ball State. Previously had struggled to command his loud stuff. If he can show continued improvement in this area his fastball will be every bit plus. Works best in the upper quadrants with fastball, and low gloveside with his slider. Changeup command is almost non-existent at this point. Below average command profile with some signs of potential growth. Control: 45 | Command: 40
Overall: A loud one-two punch with a likely future in a high-leverage relief role. Nicolas showed improved control and command in the spring of 2020 but historically had struggled to locate with consistency. A pair of swing and miss pitches with plus velocity and movement. If Nicolas can locate his fastball-slider at his 2020 rate and develop his changeup to a fringe-average level he has a real chance to start. If not he likely ends up fast tracked to a major league bullpen where if his strike throwing remains at a fringe-average level his stuff should play.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - High-Leverage Reliever
Risk: Moderate
