Dec 2020 Report
Evaluator: Wyatt Kleinberg
Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2016 Draft - Round 2
RuleV: On 40-man
Physical Description: At 6'3" 210, White's build resembles what many consider to be ideal for a starting pitcher. He is a strong and sturdy kid that is more athletic than he is thick. Broad shoulders with a very strong lower half.
Delivery & Mechanics: White has a very simple and repeatable delivery. For someone with a relatively quick load, and high gather, he does a very good job of staying balanced into his extension, using almost all of the momentum he creates on his pitches. For someone that is 6'4" however, White has a subpar extension (between 5.5 and 6 feet on his different pitches), which could be chalked up to a lack of hip flexor mobility. While this would lead a typical evaluator to believe he would harness a sinker as his primary offering, White showcases a four seam fastball (more on that below). Post plant, White does a very good job of keeping everything on time, and has a highly desirable, whippy arm, which helps him reach the mid to upper 90s on the fastball. He does a very good job sinking into his glutes despite the lack of a quality extension -- the momentum staying as low and centered (good balance) as possible is still a major player in energy production moving downhill for him. White does occasionally struggle to maintain his armslot and release points -- when they go, he loses command. Moving forward, he needs to ensure his slot is consistent on all pitches, otherwise he will either tip them, or be unable to reliably control them. The overall lack of stress in the delivery bodes well for potential injury risk.
Fastball: The four seam fastball averages around 94, and can touch the mid to upper nineties (full range 92-97). This is already a plus for White, though his ability to manipulate the pitch is what makes it as successful as it is. The fastball, coming from a 12:50 axis, has a solid spin rate of 2380 rpm, and showcases induced average vertical break (16.5 inches). In theory, this would lead most to believe that he could be a vertical approach angle star. Unfortunately, due to his extension mirroring that of a sinker baller instead of a pitcher throwing fastballs (about a half foot shorter than the edge of the ideal range- ie the height of the player +), the approach angle is not good at all. White makes up for this with his ability to manipulate the four seamer -- he is capable of shifting the seams to make it either have either cut or sink action on it. While the movement may not be significant in either direction, it does change the looks on the hitter, making it more effective. Grade: 50
Curveball: White's curveball is a pitch that is completely contingent upon the consistency of his armslot on a given day. A solid change of pace (avg velocity of 82.4 mph), White spins it pretty well (2500 avg rpm). Coming from a 6:50 axis, it shows some slurvy traits at times, but gets a good amount of depth overall (13.8 inches of induced vertical break, 4 inches horizontal). The curveball, despite not being his best offspeed, is the one that is most catered to his very short extension into delivery. The vertical tilt and rotational profile play into it perfectly when including gravity as a factor for total overall drop, and make the curve his best swing and miss pitch. Just like the fastball, he can run into trouble if the armslot gets funky. Grade: 55
Slider: White's slider is probably his best offspeed pitch today. The slider is pretty hard relative to the fastball, sitting at an average of 87 mph. Not only that, but he spins the offering coming from 10:40 pretty well, with the average spin coming in at 2550 rpm. While this is not elite by any means, it does get a solid amount of horizontal break (3 inches), and the slurvier tilt helps contribute to its 3.4 inches of induced vertical break. White's slider slot is similar to that of the fastball, and the pitch tunnels well, making it difficult for hitters to pick up. He has solid overall command of the pitch when his armslot is right, and it is his go to offspeed pitch. Grade: 50
Changeup: White's changeup is a pitch that shows great movement traits, but is held back by his mastery of the physical pitch itself. Averaging 88 mph, and sitting in the low 2200's in spin, the changeup has plus run at 15.5 inches, while also dropping 14 inches from a 1:30 tilt. This plays borderline elite for most guys when mastered, though White does not have much feel for the pitch, and uses it very sparingly as a result. With work, this could become a plus big league offering. Grade: 45
Control and Command: White's control is very important to his success due to his lack of elite fastball traits. He can regularly put the fastball in the zone, as well as the slider. While he isnt as consistent on the curveball or change, the movement profiles of the two pitches give him some slack, allowing for him to succeed on relatively close misses via inducing either soft contact, or generating whiffs. White's command is contingent upon his ability to control his armslot -- where the slot goes, he goes. In an ideal world, White maintains his 3/4 slot, and on those days, he showcases plus overall command. However, on the days in which it is not right, he is the type of guy that will need a quick hook. When the slot is off, the fastball is usually the first to go, and the subsequent loss of his ability to spot the slider makes him a two pitch guy at best on those days. While they have become fewer and further between, there is room for concern moving forward -- if you lose your ability to throw half of your arsenal for strikes at the big league level, you will not last long on that day. Control: 50 | Command: 45
Overall: While he has a very ideal build, but his shortcomings in athleticism significantly hold him back from being a top of the line, high impact starter. While he has four pitches with plus potential, the arm slot consistency is concerning, and leaves me unsold in regards to how he will play at the next level. The Dodgers' player development system is one of the best, if not the best in the game, so they should be able to get him consistent. However, until he hits the mark there, White is likely a fourth starter at best. He has a good base to build off of, but at age 25, most would hope he can break through in the next year or two to help impact the big league club during his prime years.
OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter - Low Leverage Relief
Risk: Moderate
