Keegan Akin Scouting Report and Minor League Stats

Physical Description

It’s not what you’d expect to see in a starting pitcher in MLB. Husky is built on a medium frame. Heavily weighted in the middle.

The lower body has a thicker build, which makes it more durable. It is imperative that he keep an eye on his weight, particularly in his core. To build his body, he should focus on strength and conditioning.

Delivery & Mechanics

Delivery that is deliberate and low-effort through the point of balance. The first base side of the rubber is where you begin.

With a small sidestep, the windup has been altered. Using a high leg kick, he rushes through this equilibrium point.

Good extension through the release of the 3/4 arm slot. The front door can be pushed open. At times, he has a tendency to isolate himself. Through the release point, delivery is repeatable with some significant effort.

Fastball

Akin’s speed varies from 91-94 mph, sometimes reaching 95 mph. Arm-side run is limited, and he lacks the agility to avoid being picked off on the field.

A low-zone approach is most effective. Because of his tendency to leave his fastball up, he often finds himself in difficulties.

A team’s inability to throw to all four quadrants will make it tough for it to reach its potential.

When he doesn’t hit spots, he has a hard time missing barrels. Could use a little more time and effort to be truly successful. Rank:50

Curveball

Spin rate above average at 77-81 MPH. Like the slider, it’s more often thrown to right-handed batters. Effective in the lowest half of the zone.

Lacks faith in his abilities as a leader. When behind, he rarely throws it away. Command is a tad behind the slider, but raw effectiveness is a tad higher. Rank:40

Slider

82-85 MPH with a slurvy ride. An even tougher second option with a good two-plane break There’s a lot of work to be done in terms of commanding this thing.

Right-handed people are more susceptible to the drug’s effects. Has to be more consistent than a sporadic offering, much like the fastball. If the command can be improved, this may be a useful supplementary pitch. Rank:45

Changeup

The greatest pitch he has, but he needs to throw it with greater conviction. ‘ Speed changes dramatically between 81 and 84 mph.

Drainage from the environment. Throws it as fast as a fastball, giving it a convincing appearance. Swinging strikes are above-average, which gives me some hope that it will be an above-average product at its peak. Rank:55

Control and Command

His calmness and mound presence has been impressive thus far. Right now, I’ve got command and control. Occasionally has the ability to nibble.

As a flyball pitcher, he has a tendency to miss places in front of the plate. The changeup is ahead of the fastball in terms of control.

If he can command the slider, he might be a back-end starter or a reliever. In the bullpen, he may be able to get more out of his pitches. Rank: Control: 50 | Command: 40

Overall

Akin showed glimpses of his potential in his 2020 debut despite his overall inconsistency. he had a 3.27 FIP and struck out more than one batter per innings.

He also shut out the Yankees in 5 1/3 innings of work. Akin might be a lock for the Orioles rotation in 2021, depending on your point of view.

As a backend starter, he has a good shot at making the team. While Akin’s command is competent, it suffers from a lack of consistency, especially given how inexpensive the raw materials are.

For him to be a reliable back-of-the-rotation option in the American League East, he’ll need to improve his command significantly.

 

Keegan Akin  Minor League Stats