2023 Cleveland Guardians prospect scouting report: #49 RHP Tommy Mace
2023 Cleveland Guardians prospect scouting report: #49 RHP Tommy Mace
Mace has a starters build and an above average slider, but needs to regain velocity and improve his control from '22 to find his upside as a starter again.
Build & Background
The 24 year old Tampa, FL native is a big, powerful looking pitcher. He has a classic starters build, tall, high waisted, strong shoulders and durable frame. After deciding to return to Florida in 2021, Mace was the Gators Friday starter and struck out 113 batters in 90.1 inning albeit with some inconsistencies. Betting on himself and his draft stock for 2021, Mace spent time at Driveline and Kinetic Pro to work on his biomechanics to enhance his delivery and possibly his velocity. He was drafted by Cleveland in the Comp B round in 2021 and made his pro debut in 2022in High-A Lake County.
What Mace does well
After 2022, Mace’s best pitch is probably his slider. It’s got good, late tilt and he locates it well. Makes right handers chase and can back door it to left handed hitters well. His curve flashed average during the season as well. His somewhat new cutter also had good distinct movement between his slider and fastball to give him a different look and bridge the gap of tunneling those two pitches. Difficult to square up when he locates. The cutter became a pretty nice weapon for him up and in to left handed hitters.
Where Mace needs to improve
In college, Mace was able to sit in the mid-90s and get to 97 pitching once a week. In 2022, he was only pitching every six days and didn’t have the same velocity. He was consistently high-80s and low-90s save for a few outings. Mace will need to first regain some of the velocity to get life back on his fastball that will help him. The changeup lacks separation from his fastball thanks to that. The cutter offered a good bridge between his fastball that sinks and his slider, but it needs better velocity or a new shape to it. Health is another area Mace needs some luck or help. He had some knee and blister issues in 2022.
Intangibles
Mace took it upon himself to work the Driveline and Kinetic Pro to help his delivery to get the most out of his body and improve velocity. It worked his final year a Florida, though it didn’t translate much in pro ball in ‘22. He won two community service awards in college. Mace has also played in the USA circuit, so he’s always faced excellent competition.
Future
Coming into 2022, it seemed like Mace’s fastball, slider combination, and control, he’d have a chance to be a somewhat quickly moving starter. He’ll need to get the velocity back up and could use a potential shape change in fastball. He has the build, arsenal and experience to be a major league starting pitching prospect. His changeup separation and overall feel also may need to come along with regaining velocity. In a pen role, his fastball velo could play up and the slider could be an out pitch, but it’s too soon to give up on him as a starter in year two. He tracks as more of a depth type starter if he doesn’t regain the velocity and bring the changeup along, and is probably a fifth starter type if he does.
Role: 40 - depth-starter/low leverage relief
Seems like Mace is only getting ranked at all is because he was a high draft pick. Had he been drafted in the 18th round, no way he gets any attention.
Not that that is wrong; Guardians scouts have earned the benefit of the doubt. But if I was ranked below this guy i might retire from baseball and get on with my life.