WWBA World Championship (Jupiter, Fla.), October 24, 2009 (in attendance) Under Armour All-America Game (Chicago, Ill.), August 8, 2009 (in attendance)
Frame:
Broad frame with room in shoulders
and hips for growth. Could conceivably add up to 30 pounds over the next three years, or so. Good flexibility and body control
should help him maintain a handle on his mechanics as he continues to fill-in. Good projection -- could develop into sturdy-framed
workhorse.
Motion:
Wahl enters his
motion with a simple sidestep in and coils well in his high legkick. He gets great extension towards home, utilizing his flexibility,
and shows solid hip/shoulder separation. Wahl keeps his momentum directed towards home, though he can occasionally plant too
hard on his heel, perhaps from over-striding some. This stops his momentum short and prevents his right side from finishing
effectively. His arm action is easy enough that recoil shouldn’t be a concern, but he’s probably leaving some
velocity, and certainly leaving some command, on the table when he “hard plants”. He's also losing some momentum
when he occasionally begins to drift towards home early, rather than centering over the rubber at the apex of his leg kick.
Still, Wahl keeps a reasonably good tempo from kick to release, and is fairly clean from hand break to load to release. He
comes from a 3/4 slot and is loose in his arm action. The ball looks terrific coming out of his hand.
Stuff:
Fastball - Wahl doesn’t blow hitters away with his fastball, yet. Currently sitting in
the mid- to upper-80s, touching the 90/1 mph range, but there’s plenty of room for increased velocity. He could sit
in the low-90s, touching as high as 94-96 mph when all is said in done, primarily due to the ease in his arm action, flexibility
and room in his frame to add significant strength.
Curveball
- Wahl’s curve is a soft low-70s offering that can flash good bite and shows the potential for plus depth.
He gets solid spin and hits the same arm slot as his fastball, making it a potential above-average offering in the future.
One item he may need to address is a tendency to lengthen his arm action some in the back, potentially tipping the pitch to
hitters.
Slider - Generally right around 80 mphs, Wahl’s
slider shows the potential to be an above-average offering with wipeout sweeping action. But he struggles to throw it consistently
for strikes and can loose his release point. As with his curve, he’s generally out of the same arm slot, which will
help his cause as he refines across the board.
Change-up - Wahl’s
change-up shows some promise but is still a work in progress. As evidenced by radar gun readings ranging from the mid-70s
to the low-80s, he can throw the pitch too hard at times and can get inconsistent in his arm speed. The pitch could project
to a Major League average offering as Wahl continues to improve its consistency. It flashes some tumble when he doesn’t
slow his arm down.
Nick's Notes:
Wahls is a fun collection of current skill and projection. Though his
stuff isn’t overpowering right now, he flashes a legit four-pitch mix and shows enough feel for pitching for his arsenal
to project well across the board. His frame has room for growth, and his flexibility and body control should help him work
through the transition. Wahl is set to attend Ole Miss, should he by-pass a shot at starting his professional career this
upcoming summer. Were he to log three seasons with the Rebels, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him among the better
draft-eligible college arms come 2013. His upcoming spring performance, as well as the progression in his size and stuff,
will determine how high he’s able to work up the draft boards come June.
Projected
Position: Back-end to Mid-rotation Starter
Suggested Draft Slot: 5th to 8th Round
Updates:
11/5/2009 - Wahl was selected in the 8th Round of PnR Scouting's "WWBA World Championship Draft". The righty went three innings down in Jupiter, striking
out five and allowing four hits while walking none.
