Going into his highly anticipated MLB regular-season debut, here's what we learned from scouting L.A.'s new ace this spring.
Heading into one of the most anticipated MLB debuts in recent history, there are two numbers that sum up what many know about-- a contract handed out this winter based on the 25-year-old's track record of dominance in Japan's NPB, widely considered the second best baseball league on the planet.
The reports I got from Yamamoto's 2023 season suggested that his fastball would be a plus pitch in the majors, maybe a 60 on the 20-80 scouting scale -- with Eno Sarris' Stuff+ metric suggesting that it might even be a bit better. My instinct would be for Yamamoto to throw more offspeed pitches, and especially to start at-bats with something other than the fastball more often. Given the transition from spring training usage to regular-season usage, that should happen naturally as he goes deeper in games and needs to give different looks later in starts. I think the components are here for a 60-grade or better pitch with a slight tweak to his first pitch location and pitch selections.
Overall, Yamamoto's cutter rates as an average to slightly above pitch, but it is also a pitch he uses mostly to induce weak contact and establish a different look that keeps hitters honest against his fastball and slider. It plays a key role in uniting his arsenal and filling what would've been a hole in his offerings.
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