Prospect Profile: Alex Wells
The next player to be profiled is Alex Wells, who is the number 11 prospect on the Baltimore Orioles preseason top 30 prospects list. Number 12 was Cody Sedlock who was profiled yesterday. Wells moves up four spots on the list after finishing the season as the number 16 prospect.
Wells is a 21-year old left handed pitcher out of Australia. He signed for the Orioles as an international free agent in 2015, and made his debut with Aberdeen in 2016.
Wells was the opening night starter for the IronBirds in 2016. He made 13 starts throwing in 62.2 innings. He held an ERA of 2.15 and WHIP of .910 to go along with 50 strikeouts and nine walks.
He then spent the 2017 season with the Delemarva Shorebids, and had another great season. He made 25 starts with a 11-5 record and a 2.38 ERA. In 140 innings of work, Wells had a WHIP of .914, striking out 114 while only walking ten. He lead the league in both ERA and WHIP, and was the only pitcher with 100 innings pitched to have ten or fewer walks. His 2017 performance earned him Oriole’s minor league Pitcher of Year.
MLB.com Analysis:
Wells pitches with an average fastball, operating in the upper 80s and scraping 91 mph, but the pitch plays up thanks to his smooth delivery and because he commands it well. He also has great feel for throwing an above-average changeup in the low 80s that has late fading action and plays nicely off of his heater. Wells’ curveball, a 12-to-6 downer in the mid-70s, has improved in the professional ranks, giving him a quality third pitch to keep hitters off-balance.
Owner of the best control and command in the Orioles’ system, Wells’ 0.64 walks-per-nine innings in 2017 was one of the better marks among qualified Minor League starters. And while he doesn’t blow hitters away or pile up many strikeouts, Wells’ knack for spotting three distinct pitches gives him a high floor and should allow him to carve out a successful career as a back-end starter.
Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 45 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60 | Overall: 45
MLB ETA: 2020
