Blake Wolters is one of the most intriguing pitchers in this year’s prep class. The Mahomet-Seymour (Ill.) High School right-handed pitcher has enhanced his prospect status over the last year.
The increase of his fastball velocity has aided in the rise in attention. After sitting in the low-90s last year, Wolters added strength in the offseason and experienced a major jump in velocity this year.
At February’s Super 60 showcase, Wolters set a fastball velocity record at 98 mph with consecutive pitches. He then touched 99 mph during his senior season of high school this spring.
Wolters’ skill set, pitch mix, size and potential intrigue scouts. Scouts project the talented righty as a potential first-round pick in July’s MLB draft.
“It’s really cool,” Wolters said. “I just try to stay grounded and humble. It’s a great opportunity. Right now, I’m trying to enjoy my time with my friends while also preparing for the future.”
Wolters is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander that throws a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup from an over-the-top arm slot and simple delivery. He has an electric arm and is athletic, as he was a talented basketball player in his first three years of high school.
His best pitch is his above-average four-seamer. It sits in the mid-90s and touches 99 mph and features arm-side run.
Wolters pairs the fastball with his quality slider that serves as an outpitch. He throws two variations of it. He throws it like a traditional slider but then can manipulate it so it is more like a curveball.
Wolters does an excellent job of attacking the strike zone with his fastball, slider combination and generates plenty of swings and misses with both pitches.
“I throw a lot of strikes and attack the hitters,” Wolters said. “One big thing about me is I just started really focusing on pitching just two years ago. I think I have a lot of potential. I haven’t had a lot of access to technology, so once I get into a good program, I think I have a bright future.”
Wolters’ changeup is a work in progress. It flashes potential, but he lacks consistency with the pitch due to his lack of experience throwing it.
Wolters hopes to refine his pitch mix, especially his changeup. He also wants to strengthen his arm, so he can work more effectively deeper starts while maintaining his velocity.
“Getting that changeup right is a goal of mine,” Wolters said. “I also want to get more consistent. I want to work on some conditioning and stuff to hold my velo deeper into outings.”
Besides his status as a pro prospect, Wolters is an Arizona commit. He committed to Arizona last July after previously committing to Purdue. His rise as a prospect and desire to play at an elite program in a warm-weather state factored into his decision.
Wolters is a strong student who scored well on the SAT and had a quality high school GPA. His performance as a student allowed him to receive financial assistance from universities to make college practically free, he said.
“It is going to basically be free for me to go to Arizona, so that was a big thing,” Wolters said. “Also, I wanted to get out of the Midwest. Arizona is awesome and has great weather, great coaches and a good history in that program. All of those things combined led me to Arizona.”
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Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for eight years. He has interviewed 433 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
