RHP Bryce Elder, Texas
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DoB: 5/19/1999.
2020 Stats: 2-1, 2.08 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 32/7 K/BB in 26 IP.
If you like a good old fashioned Texas workhorse, then Bryce Elder is your guy. Well, Texas A&M's Asa Lacy is your guy, but he's also everybody else's guy, so Elder is the one. A native of Decatur, just to the northwest of the DFW metroplex, Elder has improved every year with the Longhorns and has a 2.72 ERA and a 118/40 strikeout to walk ratio in 109 innings since the start of the 2019 season.
Sturdily built at 6'2" and 220 pounds, he profiles as a workhorse starter, and everything he throws is about sink. He works with average velocity with a fastball around 90, though he's been steadily adding velocity and is more often above that mark than below. The pitch features great sinking action and a little run as well, helping it play above its velocity and set up his other pitches. His slider has sharp downward bite and misses plenty of bats, and he's been working on a curveball as well. His changeup is a bit behind, but he's improving in that regard and has the feel for pitching to continue to develop it.
Elder is a polished strike thrower who goes right after hitters, which is perhaps his best attribute in addition to his solid stuff. He repeats his tilt and go delivery well, and with his durable frame, it all adds up a guy who could eat 200 innings a year. There are no real weak spots here, as he's one of the most complete pitchers you'll find outside of the top two rounds or so. That, in addition to the track record he has with the Longhorns, will be extremely attractive to teams on draft day.
With that sinker/slider combination, he fits best as a #4/#5 starter, but if his velocity continues trending up, he could work his way to a true mid rotation starter. That should get him drafted somewhere in the third round range, give or take. It's not the world's most exciting profile and it's unlikely he ends up at the top of a big league rotation at any point, but it will be great value as a high-floor innings eater. With a May birthday, he's relatively young for the class.
2020 start vs LSU
2019 start vs Texas Tech
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