RHP Justin Lange, Llano HS [TX]
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DoB: 9/11/2001. Commitment: Dallas Baptist.
Deep in the heart of Central Texas, the small town of Llano (population 3,232 and pronounced LAN-oh) is known around the state as the home of Cooper's Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que, but naturally it hasn't produced many professional sports prospects. Justin Lange is changing that in a big way with a fastball that rivals the other small town Texan right hander in this class, Refugio's (population 2,890) Jared Kelley. Down in South Texas, Kelley has a strong argument as the top high school pitcher in the class, but he's significantly more refined than Lange, who might need more development than any other high school pitcher drafted this year.
Lange actually isn't too dissimilar to the last profile in this series, Miami Christian High's Alejandro Rosario, in that his best asset by far is his big fastball. Lange has always been about projection, but with a fastball that sat around 90 over the summer, he wasn't much of a prospect until very recently. His velocity started ticking up in the fall, then he came out of the gate in the spring sitting in the mid to upper 90's and touching 100, vaulting himself up prospect lists. Lange produces this velocity with relative ease, unfurling his extremely projectable 6'4" frame to fling the ball forward with a very natural, athletic delivery.
Now, I say "fling" because that's probably the most accurate word, certainly more so than "pitch." Lange has virtually no command of the pitch, more just letting it fly at incredible speeds in the general direction of the plate. He will need significant, significant refinement in that area, learning to control his body and pitch with intention against more advanced hitters. The fastball is already such a tremendous pitch, with great riding life in addition to its velocity, that he'll probably never need pinpoint command to be successful, but he will need to locate regardless. His breaking ball is also a work in progress, a mid to upper 80's slider that stands out much more for its velocity than its life. If he wants any chance to start, that pitch is going to need to leap forward at least a full grade, perhaps more. He'll also need to add a changeup, something he hasn't done much to this point.
For all of his rough edges, there is reason to believe Lange can figure it out. For one, the nuances of the game are often coachable, but you can't teach someone to throw 100. Additionally, coming from a very rural area about an hour and a half northwest of Austin, Lange hasn't had as many of the same opportunities to work out in those expensive training facilities you get in the suburbs, so pro coaching could do him wonders. Even though he doesn't offer much aside from velocity at this point, he looks so natural on the mound that you have to be excited about his upside. I haven't heard anything about him being a particularly tough sign, and his talent likely puts him somewhere in the second round range, perhaps to a team with multiple early picks who can absorb some of the risk. The upside here is about as high as you can imagine, while the risk is about that high as well.
Pitching in the fall
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