Detwiler
Ross Detwiler was the Nationals' first pick in the 2007 draft (sixth overall) out of Missouri State, also the alma mater of Toronto starter
Shaun Marcum. Detwiler suffered some velocity loss in 2008 that jeopardized his big league future, but on Wednesday, his stuff was very close to where it was in college. He pitched from 89 to 94 mph with his fastball and showed a solid-average changeup at 83-85 with good arm speed but limited action. His two weaknesses were his breaking ball and his control; the curveball is never going to be a weapon for him; it's slow and looks even slower than its 75-78 velocity. His control hasn't been good in pro ball, and I saw him on a particularly wild night. Because he cuts his delivery off, he has to work harder to get the ball in to his glove side, and it's possible that effort is hurting his ability to throw strikes. Given his age and athleticism, I'd give him more than a passing chance to improve that control to the point where it's average or slightly above, which would make him a solid fourth starter in the big leagues.
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Keith Law
