Joey Wentz | LHP
Background
Wentz, 18, attends Shawnee Mission East High School in the Kansas City suburbs. He spent last summer participating in showcases as a first baseman because he was dealing with a dead arm period. Wentz returned to the mound this spring and has been healthy. He’s committed to attend Virginia in the fall.
Scouting Report
As a hitter, Wentz has easy power and a sweet swing from the left side of the plate. He’s only played first base but is considered athletic enough to give the outfield a try. Most agree Wentz has much higher upside on the mound, however. At his best he’ll sit in the 91-95 mph range and touch 97, though it’s worth noting he’s been unable to hold that velocity all spring and has spent the last few weeks in the 88-91 mph range. That’s kinda scary after last summer’s dead arm. A big-breaking upper-70s curveball and promising changeup round out his repertoire. There’s hope that at 6-foot-5 and 210 lbs., Wentz will add velocity and answer questions about his durability.
Miscellany
In their most recent rankings MLB.com, Keith Law (subs. req’d), and Baseball America ranked Wentz as the 16th, 22nd, and 26th best prospect in the draft class, respectively. The Yankees pick 18th. Before the recent velocity dip there was talk Wentz would be a top ten pick because hey, lefties who touch 97 and have three pitches are hot commodities. Ultimately, it’s going to depend on which team feels most comfortable with him physically after the dead arm and velocity loss. I suppose Wentz could always fall back on being a first baseman (or outfielder), but that’s a backup plan no one wants to use.