2024 Cleveland Guardians #48 Prospect Scouting Report: LHP Doug Nikhazy

Nikhazy was a workhorse and College World Series star in 2021, but control has held him back as a pro.

Doug Nikhazy Bio

• Age (2024 season): 24

• Acquired: 2021 Draft (Round 2)

• 2023 Level: Double-A

• Height: 6’0

• Weight: 210

• Throws: Left

Doug Nikhazy 2023 Stats

• G/GS: 24

• IP: 104

• ERA/FIP: 4.94/4.69

• K: 128

• BB: 73

• K%/BB%: 27%/15.4%

• WHIP: 1.62

Pitcher 2023 Scouting Grades

• Fastball: 40

• Slider: 45

• Curveball: 55

• Changeup: 40

• Command: 30

• Overall: 35+

• Risk: Extreme

• ETA: 2026

Build & Background

Though he is shorter in stature, Nikhazy is a solid athlete with a moderate build overall. Nikhazy had strong college baseball success in the SEC and in the College World Series, authoring great performances in both at Ole Miss. Nikhazy has a high, over the top arm slot from a delivery that does have some moving parts to it from his windup. He’s been healthy in both college and pro ball.

What Nikhazy Does Well

A big, mid-70s curveball with a lot of vertical break is Nikhazy’s calling card as a pitcher. It’s a pitch he can get for a called strike because of its vertical drop, and hitters will chase it if he’s locating it early in a start. Though his velocity is lacking, Nikhazy does create some run with the heater from that high release, which will some times give it carry above the zone. He’s also a very smart and dedicated competitor, known among teammates for his approach to pitching. In college he was a fiery competitor on the mound, though he’s been more reserved as a pro.

Where Nikhazy Needs to Improve

For Nikhazy, it’s all about control. He struggles with his release point and repeating his delivery at times and runs very high walk rates. Nikhazy can strike out 10+ in a start, but walk four or five, and sometimes that wil knock him out of starts early. Though his fastball has some life to it, it lacks the velocity to overcome a lack of control. His changeup looks to be too firm at times and lacks consistent tumble or run, even though it can miss an occasional right handed bat. Nikhazy also tends to throw his slider at varying speeds, getting a little more sweep on a lower-80s version, and having more of a bullet-type slider in the upper-80s, and the sweeper tends to be a better pitch for him against lefties and doesn’t have much effect against right handers. There’s a lot of natural arm talent and stuff here for Nikhazy, but it’s held back by control issues and a lack of fastball velocity and a true third pitch. I kind of wonder watching him if switching to pitching from the stretch more often or a modified stretch might help him with his control, keep his head from moving too much and keep his body online with the plate more.

Key Stats

Nikhazy walked more than 10 batters a month every month in 2023. In his best month, June, he had 36 strikeouts and 11 walks in 24.2 innings. He still walked 10 in June and September. A start on June 10 was his only outing this year where he didn’t issue a walk (6IP, 3H, 2ER, 8K) He had three walks or more in 14 of his 26 outings this year, so control was consistently an issue for him.

Intangibles

As noted before, Nikhazy is popular as a teammate for his pitching mind and he is an intense competitor on the mound, even if he showed it more in college than he has as a pro.

Future

With a lack of control and a clear third pitch, it’s hard right now to project a future role for Nikhazy other than an org reliever or an up and down depth starter. He just doesn’t have enough control to trust him as a starter at the major league level and his velocity removes some margin for error. A move to the bullpen to focus on his fastball/curveball combo could spike his velocity and maybe negate some control issues that would help his case, which might be the best case scenario right now. He’ll likely head back to Double-A in 2024 for a big year for his future.

Role

35 - depth starter/reliever