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The Mets continued to take prep pitchers, selecting Nic Enright, a 6-foot-3 righty from Richmond, Virginia, in the 19th round. Enright is a pitcher with a wide variety of potential outcomes depending upon how he develops, and he may be better off going to college and trying the draft again in three years. It will ultimately come down to money.
As I mentioned, Enright is 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, which gives him a more durable appearance than projectable. Enright’s draft stock likely took a substantial hit this spring when he came out of the gates throwing in the mid-to-upper 80s, disappointing scouts who had seen him hitting 94 on the showcase circuit late last year. But at his best, Enright is a very impressive young pitcher. He’ll combine the fastball with a sharp curve with plenty of depth, thanks to a way over-the-top arm slot that really helps him get on top of the ball. He needs to throw the pitch harder, and if he learns, the pitch will be at least above average. He’ll also mix in a potentially average slider, and a changeup that has some fade to it.
I love the way Enright’s arm works. The arm action is very short and he’ll usually get rid of the ball quickly. The rest of the delivery needs work, however. He needs to stride further, and a late separation during his windup will sometimes throw his timing off, causing his arm to lag way behind his body. Lengthening the stride will help this somewhat, as will just more reps under a watchful eye. Repeatability in general is a concern. Command will sometime come and go for Enright, who struggled with it at times over the spring. More consistency in his delivery will go a long way toward fixing that.
The biggest question for Enright is signability. As I said, his draft stock is on the low side right now; a nice college career at Virginia Tech could earn him millions, provided his stuff returns to form. Right now, he’s probably worth $500,000, depending on whether his declining velocity is health-related, and it’s up to him whether he wants to start his pro career now or later. The Mets should have some money stocked up with which to tempt him. Expect this one to go late into the signing period.