Ethan
Flanagan

USA CNT TRIALS: Part of college baseball’s best recruiting class last fall, Flanagan hit the ground running as a freshman at UCLA, going 3-0, 3.28 with 76 strikeouts and 28 walks in 60.1 innings over 25 appearances (seven starts). He struggled in the lone inning we saw in CNT camp this summer, but we still saw plenty to like about him. With a strong 6-3, 195-pound frame, Flanagan has some head funk and effort in his delivery, which features a short, quick takeaway to a high slot. His fastball sat 91-93 and bumped 94 in our look, and though it has a lower spin rate (2000s-2100s), it seems to stay on plane well. His best secondary pitch is an 80-81 changeup with excellent deception, tumble and fade, grading as a plus offering. In our look, he also showed a below-average slider at 84 and a slow, loopy curveball at 70-73. The slider showed more promise out of the two breaking balls, but his changeup is his biggest weapon at this stage, along with his fastball.

6-foot-2, 165-pounds, large frame that is long, lean, wiry strong, and loose. Short, compact arm action in back through to a ¾ slot. Landing is inline before falling off to the third base side. Arm is fast from separation of hands through extension. Gains ground down the mound through to an out-front release point causing ball to jump on hitters. Generates downhill plane on all pitches. Fastball shows shows run to the glove side with some life. Shows command of the pitch to both sides of the plate. Flanagan shows feel for a curveball that shows late with 1/7 shape with tight spin down in the zone. Flanagan's changeup really projects with its fading action from the same slot and arm speed as the fastball.