LHP MacKenzie Gore (Whitesville HS, NC): 6'2", 180 lbs, born 2/24/1999
Overview
Fastball: 60. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
Very few players in this draft have as much helium as MacKenzie Gore, the left handed pitcher out of southeastern North Carolina. Entering the season, Gore was seen as a project who had the tools to succeed but hadn't quite put them together yet. A monster spring has rocketed him up draft boards, where he could easily go as high as the top five picks, and is a near lock for the top ten, barring collapse or injury.
Strengths
The first thing that stands out about Gore is his makeup. He is a fierce competitor, one who goes right after hitters with a high leg lift and a full arsenal. Gore's stuff has also made a huge leap forward this spring, with his fastball sitting 92-95 with peaks at 96-97, and it figures to get even faster as he matures. The 6'2" lefty also spins a tight, hard breaking curveball that draws plus grades. His slider and changeup are also fairly advanced for a high schooler, giving him the chance to have four above average major league pitches. Surprisingly for such a raw pitcher, he actually commands everything pretty well, hitting his spots with all of his pitches. He keeps it up through his starts, maintaining velocity and stuff into the late innings due to his bulldog mentality.
Weaknesses
Gore is still somewhat of a project. He's extremely raw, with a funky delivery featuring lots of wasted movement that detracts from his velocity. He has legs and arms flying everywhere, not necessarily going towards the plate, but that could actually be the best way to criticize him because it's completely fixable. If pro coaching can corral his delivery, he could add even more velocity and get into the upper 90's.
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