Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Learning a new pitch and adding some velocity can go a long way to boost a pitcher's stock as a Draft prospect. Abbott, Loyola Marymount's Saturday starter, did both of those things and many teams, especially those who like statistical metrics and college performers, took notice.
The biggest improvement has come via Abbott's new breaking ball, a slider that can be an above-average offering for him. Couple that with a fastball that he now throws in the 90-93 mph range, up a few ticks from the past, and Abbott has been dominant as a junior, missing more bats and giving up fewer hits. The right-hander will mix in a decent curveball and has a below-average changeup as well, but it's mostly been the fastball-slider combination that has made hitters uncomfortable all spring. He's around the strike zone with all of his offerings
The West Coast Conference might not be the nation's toughest, but any time a pitcher gives up just two earned runs in 67 innings of conference play, it's noteworthy. Abbott's ceiling might be somewhat limited, but the stats-leaning teams will likely be very interested in the top five or six rounds.
