Rank History
| Year | Team | Position | Team Rank | OFP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | BOS | RHP | 9 | 45 |
Grades Update: Dec 2020
| OFP | Role | FB | CT | CU | SL | Cnt/Cmd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 30 | 60 | 50/40 |
Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: John CaLVagno
Age: 24 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 182 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 Draft - Round 5
RuleV: 2021
Physical Description: Listed 6'3" 182 lbs, that looks accurate. Long, lean and athletic with strong legs. Could add another 10-15 lbs of muscle, particularly up top.
Delivery & Mechanics: Sets up on the first base side of the rubber, delivering from a three quarters arm slot, Ward has a fast arm and a short arm action. He creates above-average momentum and gets a strong push off generating average extension. Slight pause prior to motion, closes off front side in sped-up leg lift to drive. Everything moves, some crossfire in his arm action and fall off post-release. Has a tendency of slinging the ball. Will rush through his delivery at times.
Fastball: Exclusively two-seam, 92-94 mph touching 96 mph with some sink and lots of horizontal movement, fastball shows heavy run, breaking in on righthanders and away from left handed hitters. Due to rushed delivery and heavy run will lead to missing armside. Generally around the zone but control over command. Grade: 50
Cutter: New pitch to Ward's repertoire in 2019. Showed improved feel for the pitch as the season progressed. Upper 80's with very good late bite. Frequently released late to RHH. Too easily layed off at times. Good variation to the heavy horizontal movement of his slider and fastball. Has been used in lieu of changeup over the last year. Grade: 45
Curveball: 12-6, High 70's, fringy, just a show me pitch Grade: 30
Slider: Low to mid 80's, low spin efficiency offering with gyro spin movement, breaks almost exclusively gloveside. Plus offering with the ability to get swings and misses, dangerous pairing with fastball, moving easy to west across the plate. Shows feel for the pitch with consistency and it's improved over his two years of pro-ball. Grade: 60
Control and Command: Sped up operation will lose release point at times. By and large around the zone, fastball's late armside run makes it difficult to command. Has good feel for his secondaries particularly his slider, and works around the zone with the pitch, while showing the ability to bury it when needed. Control: 50 | Command: 40
Overall: Everything runs toward lefties. Could be enough here for a #4 SP but a swingman between spot starter and lower leverage innings is highest probability outcome. Two average or better pitches in his slider and fastball, and a developing third pitch in his cutter.
OFP: 45
Role: 40-Spot Starter/Long Relief
Risk: Moderate
