Jake Woodford

Woodford came up in the minors as a starting pitcher, but he is best suited for a reserve role as he finds most of his success in short bursts. His very average stuff and lack of an offspeed pitch are what ultimately make him a long reliever if he should stick in the big leagues. He tops out at 93 mph and throws both a curveball and a slider, and a changeup which makes an appearance every so often. The knuckle-curve he throws has some decent shape to it, so it is his de facto changeup, yet the righty was punished by same-handed hitters in his major-league debut despite a repertoire that portends the opposite outcome. He needs more velocity or a true changeup for his career path to change.

The 39th overall pick in last year’s draft impressed in 26.1 innings with the Gulf Coast League Cardinals. Woodford, a 6-foot-4 righty, compiled a 2.39 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts in eight appearances (five starts). He was only asked to face hitters a second time in his last four outings of the season, but in those 18 innings he allowed just one run with 17 strikeouts, so it seems he was up for the challenge of going deeper into games. The scouting report suggested he could touch 94 on his fastball coming out of high school, but that his secondary pitches needed some work. His initial success suggests his slider and/or changeup may have been a bit undersold, and that his command is already at least average. However, a full-season look, perhaps in the second half of 2016, will offer a better indication of Woodford’s long-term upside.