Chase Shores has intriguing potential due to his size, pitch mix and fluidity on the mound. The Texas prep right-handed pitcher gained notoriety on the showcase circuit last summer and has continued to trend in the right direction this year.
Scouts have noticed his success, development and potential over the last two years. It has caused him to receive attention in anticipation of July’s MLB draft. Scouts project Shores as a potential early-round pick in the draft.
“I view it as a blessing,” Shores said. “It is something I have always dreamed about getting draft. It is something I have always wanted. Now that it has happened this year, it was cool to see and meet all those scouts at games. It put a little pressure on me, but I feel like I thrive in those moments.”
Shores is a 6-foot-8, 240-pound right-handed pitcher that throws a two-seam fastball, four-seam fastball, slider and changeup from a quick arm action and low three-quarters arm slot.
His two-seamer is his best pitch, and he uses it a majority of the time in comparison to his four-seam fastball. His two-seamer is an above-average offering that touches 98 mph and features plenty of arm-side run.
Shores likes to throw his slider off of his two-seamer. It is a quality pitch that features sharp breaking action and generates swings and misses out of the strike zone.
His changeup flashes potential, but he hasn’t used it frequently during his prep career. Over the last year and a half, Shores has worked on developing the pitch in hopes of having a quality and consistent third pitch in the future.
Shores is athletic and has improved his mechanics over the last year. Besides refining his changeup, Shores hopes to strengthen his command and control of his pitches.
Overall, Shores is a highly-talented prep pitcher who scouts believe has the intangibles and proper mindset on the mound to thrive in pro baseball.
“I’m a competitor,” Shores said. “I like to attack hitters, and I’m not afraid to throw inside and jam you on the hands. I bring that demeanor, along with my size. I’m just an elite competitor.”
Besides his draft prospect status, Shores is also a Louisiana State University commit. After initially committing to Oklahoma State as a sophomore, Shores reopened the recruiting process last year.
He visited Texas, Arkansas and LSU before picking the Tigers in October 2021. He committed to LSU due to the program’s coaching staff and its track record of developing talent for the professional ranks.
“I fell in love with LSU,” Shores said. “The coaches are great. We clicked. If I go to LSU, I can better myself as a person and player.”
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Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for seven years. He has interviewed 356 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com and The Arizona Republic, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
