Max Fried (Photo courtesy of Harvard-Westlake High School / May 31, 2012) |
This is the fifth of six profiles on the players the Orioles might target with the No. 4 overall pick in Monday night's amateur draft. Today: Max Fried
Name: Max Fried
Position: Left-handed pitcher
Age: 18
Height/Weight: 6-feet-4, 180 pounds
Bats/Throws: L/L
Hometown: Santa Monica, Calif.
School/Class: Harvard-Westlake High (Calif.)/Senior
Skinny: Has been on the national radar since he was a sophomore. … Widely considered the best draft-eligible lefty, prep or college. … Transferred to Harvard-Westlake High School after his previous school’s baseball program was eliminated. … Was a teammate of another top pitching prospect, righty Lucas Giolito, whose stock has dropped some due to injury. … Can mix speeds on his fastball, which can reach in the mid-90s. … Has a developing changeup and curve. … Was some concern that his velocity dipped at end of season. Considered normal fatigue. … Has lean pitcher’s body that can add muscle. … Fanned more than 100 batters total in a dozen appearances in his senior year. … Make-up and intelligence is heralded. … Committed to UCLA.
Why the Orioles will take him: Because he is left-handed with poise and can throw relatively hard.
Why the Orioles won’t take him: He is more of a risk than the other top pitchers – all college right-handers – on the board. It’s more likely he goes in pick No. 5 to 15 range.
Connolly’s take: Would be a stretch for the Orioles, but a high-ceiling lefty is always enticing.
More on the draft...
Orioles draft target: Kyle Zimmer
Orioles draft target: Kevin Gausman
Orioles draft target: Mark Appel
Orioles draft target: Byron Buxton
First-year O's scouting director discusses his draft philosophy
