Tyler Jay Scouting Report, Minnesota Twins — December, 2017
Full Name: Tyler Ryan Jay
DOB: April 19, 1994 (23)
Birthplace: Lemont, IL
School: University of Illinois
Acquired: 1st Round, 2015 MLB Draft
Height, Weight: 6’1”, 185 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/L
Dates Observed: October – November, 2017
Affiliate(s): Surprise Saguaros (Arizona Fall League)
Previous Reports: None
Tool (FV)
Notes & Comments
Four-Seam Fastball (50)
Conventional, straight look with good command to both sides of the plate; plays it off the two-seam fastball well. Will elevate with low 90s velo at times; picks his spots well there even despite it not being a blow-away pitch. Consistent ability to establish fastball early for strike one and then check down to deep off-speed arsenal. Good downward plane from high three-quarters release. Average, unremarkable pitch but plays up with good command and ability to hit spots down and early in counts. Must get the ball down, though; lacks velocity and will get barreled when left up. Velocity: 89-92, T 93.
Two-Seam Fastball (50)
Arm-side run with good, late fade; will work it in well against LHH on hands. Modest feel for back-door look to glove-side. Good downward plane helps fade/sink late with high three-quarters release point. Can give and take some velo as necessary to hit spots with movement; some sneaky velo at times that can jump on hitters quickly when unexpected. Must get the ball down, though; lacks velocity and will get barreled when left up. Velocity: 85-90, T 91.
Curveball (40)
Slower, bigger hump with more traditional break; 11-to-5 look that occasionally bleeds into 10-to-4 with more sweeping, horizontal action. Struggles to consistently get it out to glove-side on the corner. Inconsistent and lacking late bite; better look to LHH than RHH to that end. Will cast the pitch and get around it too often, spinning it out and having it back up on him. Could stand to throw it harder to see sharper late break, even with a big hump. . Velocity: 73-77.
Slider (50)
Side to side feel for slider, including back foot look to RHH that makes it worthwhile pitch at times there; tight 11-to-5 break with very late depth aided by good velocity. Good arm action/arm speed to help sell the pitch. Far better of his two breaking balls right now with more consistent command feel. Velocity: 81-84.
Changeup (45)
Appears to be a circle change out of his hand; arm-side fade with some tumble, and good arm action helps sell it. Will go it early and often against both RHH and LHH; lacking in wipeout life, but enough downward movement with deception to get off the barrel. Will flatten out at times without extensive downward movement, but commanded well down in the zone with consistency even when it’s flat. Nice change of pace that keeps hitters on their toes. Velocity: 76-81.
Control/Command (50/45)
Good feel for both sides of the plate with both of his fastballs; knack for getting ahead of hitters with strike one off the fastball, after which he can than cycle into off-speed stuff. Needs consistency in throwing off-speed for strikes, particularly his curveball, but enough show-me there to be effective around the zone with the slider and the changeup. Command could stand to improve, but profile plays up with feel for all his pitches and ability to show almost anything from his arsenal in any count.
Mechanics
Conventional delivery with high three-quarters release point; consistent mechanics with ability to repeat, but very little deception to hitters. Consistent arm action and arm speed across the board on all pitches for the most part; tendency to noticeably slow some at times on curveball, though. Had him 1.41 - 1.47 to the plate with runners on first base; holds fairly well with good and varied sets, and traditional left-handed pick off moves.
Notes
Advanced pitchability with good feel for a surprisingly deep arsenal for a reliever; command and advanced sequencing help him play up despite lacking true power stuff out of the bullpen. Injuries have claimed far too much of his professional career to date, and Tyler Jay must prove he can stay healthy to have an impact in 2018 and beyond. Some room left to physically grow into his body, but at his age now Jay may be fairly near his final physical form; unlikely to see a significant velocity jump in time, but can survive in low 90s with command and pitchability as they are now.
OFP (45 FV)
Late-inning reliever potential with left-handed situational relief and perhaps multi-inning stints likely in his future. Lacks true power stuff and doesn’t have wipeout/strikeout arsenal to miss bats in true high-leverage late-inning role, but shows advanced sequencing and smart pitchability with good command that should help his middling stuff play up all the same. If he can truly get healthy, I’d expect him to work as either a seventh-inning type of set-up man, or a situational lefty working against LHH. Most critically, he needs to have a full, healthy season in 2018 to stay on the radar after throwing just 113.2 total innings across the first three seasons of his professional career. MLB ETA: 2019.
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