Boston

The 7th round pick for the #Cubs, Cole Tryba, was one of the most interesting arms in the draft. Nasty lefty sinker (9/-17 at 91, highest sinker whiff% in 2025) and throws a 116 stuff+ 4-Seam (-3.98 t3 VAA).

But, he comes with a caveat that makes him so unique:

He is basically two different pitchers! His avg arm angle on fastballs is ~35 degrees. On offspeed/breaking, it is ~2 degrees. His release heights range from 4.2 feet to 5.0. I am very intrigued to see what the Cubs pitching dept. does about this insane release difference. Do they leave it as is and wait and see if professional hitters pick up on it? Do they choose the low slot and favor funk and breaking ball/offspeed stuff, or stick with the mid slot with exceptional fastball angles+results, while possibly hurting break/offspeed feel?

The feel for spin really isn’t great, but just watching him move down the mound, you can tell the kid is an athlete.

I’m going to be breaking down his full arsenal and range of outcomes in the Cubs #MLBDraft video that I will be publishing in the next few days. I will be posting the link on here when it’s up; stay tuned!

“Trevor Megill, once a starter for the Mets”

John Smoltz is the worst broadcaster in professional sports. I’m sorry but everything that comes out his mouth is either objectively wrong or just hating on modern baseball.

The amount of AI slop that is spewed on these Fox broadcasts is utterly ridiculous. Billion dollar company who can’t hire an animator or graphic designer. Absolutely pathetic.

Freddy is one of just 3 pitchers in all of baseball this year to throw a 4-seam
- at 99 MPH or harder
- w/ 20 or more inches of IVB
- from a 5.2 release or lower.

The other two? Didier Fuentes and Brody Hopkins. Fastball Freddy is in uncharted territory for a starting pitcher tonight.

I mean they didn’t have many options, but for the Guards to have Gavin Williams throw ~30 high intent pitches could bite them on Saturday.