10. Jared Shuster
Updated Rank: 7
Personal Rank: 13
Updated Personal Rank: 9
The 1st round pick out of Wake Forest in 2020 ranks inside our top 10 prospects for the Braves.. Jared Shuster is an interesting case study.
There were rumors that he was not healthy at the alternate site in 2020, and that he may not have been healthy to begin the 2021 season. This could explain the down season.
He split time between High-A Rome and AA Mississippi. The stats:
- High-A: 14 starts (15 games), 58.1 innings, 3.70 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 4.09 xFIP, 1.06 WHIP, 31.1% strikeout rate, and 6.4% walk rate
- AA: 3 starts, 14.2 innings, 7.36 ERA, 6.54 FIP, 4.53 xFIP, 1.64 WHIP, 25.0% strikeout rate, and 7.4% walk rate.
Not the prettiest of years for Shuster. Maybe it was an injury that held him back, but this is a concern.
His fastball sat in the low to mid 90s rather than consistently in the mid-90s. Shuster’s best pitch is his changeup, which has been considered one of the best changeups in the entire draft class. However, an ineffective fastball would allow hitters to sit on that changeup.
He struggled to get guys out with the fastball, which led to longer at-bats. This forces his pitch count up, not allowing him to go deep into games.
His third pitch, a slider, is not currently reported as being a great pitch. He struggles to throw it for strikes consistently, which means he is currently a two-pitch pitcher.
If his fastball does not improve, he might struggle to get batters out as he advances levels. There is a lot of concern around Shuster heading into 2022.
The changeup is one of the better pitches in the organization, but if he cannot develop a second reliable pitch, his ceiling is limited.
Honestly, we still have not seen much of Shuster. The limited alternate site information and the injury in 2021 make it hard to truly scout.
I was the lowest on Shuster in the rankings. I think there is a legitimate concern with Shuster’s future and that he has a limited upside.
Maybe the injury was a big issue. He should start back in Mississippi to begin the year and will need to prove himself to improve his prospect ranking.