Cleveland Guardians 2024 Prospect Scouting Report: #42 RHP Jacob Zibin

Cleveland spent $1M on Zibin in the 10th round in 2022

Justin Lada

Feb 12, 2024

Jacob Zibin Bio

Age (2024 season): 19
Acquired: 2022 Draft (Round 10)
2023 Level: None (injured)
Height: 6’3
Weight: 218
Throws: Right

Jacob Zibin 2023 Stats

None (injured)

Jacob Zibin 2024 Scouting Grades

Fastball: 55
Slider: 50
Changeup: 55
Command: 40
Overall: 40
Risk: Extreme
ETA: 2028

Build & Background

Zibin is a young for his draft class but very well built pitcher. He’s got an athletic, strong frame. He’s high wasted with a strong lower half and core. Through his draft year and as a pro, he’s grown a few inches to 6’4 and added some strength. Zibin has a fairly simple, step back, waist-high leg drive in his delivery with a wide 3/4 arm slot. He did have a sizeable arm swing as an amateur but moved free and easy. His shorter leg kick into his arm swing reminds some of Walker Buehler. He drives down into his lower half very well and has good shoulder/hip separation. Zibin is from British Columbia, Canada, but worked out at TNXL Academy in Florida, the same school Jack Leftwich worked out from in high school before Florida, who is also Canadian. Cleveland took Zibin in the 10th round in 2022 despite being a top 100 prospect on many boards but was a hard commit to South Carolina. In order to sign him, Cleveland offered Zibin $1.2 million to forego that commitment, well above the $152,000 recommended slot in the 10th round. Zibin underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023 and should be on track to return in 2024 by early summer.

https://x.com/BcentronePS/status/1501708731901366272?s=20

What Zibin Does Well

Without any pro experience to see Zibin, we’ll go off his amateur video and reports. ZIbin’s size isn’t something he ‘does well’ but it does benefit him at his age to already be physically ready for pro ball it looks like. He has good strength in his lower half and utilizes it well by getting into it in his delivery. His fastball generally sit in the mid-90s and has good armside run to it. His sweeping slider has 10-4 break and comes in around the low-80s. His changeup is likely his best secondary, getting plenty of velocity separation from his fastball and late fade.

https://x.com/TNXL_Baseball/status/1499882746109440002?s=20

Where Zibin Needs to Improve

First, health. Zibin needs to get healthy and see his first taste of pro ball, likely starting in Arizona until mid-to-late summer. It will take time for Zibins control to come back, as is normal with Tommy John. Command will be where he needs to make the biggest leap from his time as an amateur. He may also need a third pitch, as he only has two right now.

Intangibles

Zibin took the leap to go far from home in Canada to Florida to work on his dream of being a pro baseball player, despite only being a teenager. That’s a big commitment to have to go far from home as a teenager and the work required that goes into it.

Future

Zibin has a high ceiling. Two years from now, he could easily be a top 20 prospect or better in this system. But as with any high school pitcher, there is high risk, especially coming off ot Tommy John. Zibin figures to pitch most of his year in the Arizona Rookie League starting in June or July, and perhaps making an appearance at Low-A Lynchburg by August or September. Time is on his side being 17 on draft day.

Role

40 - High variance SP with mid-rotation upside, middle relief option, or misses completely