Zane Adams is an intriguing prep left-handed pitcher, possessing a compelling four-pitch mix he displayed throughout his senior year at Porter (Texas) High School and tons of potential that causes scouts to envision him as a starting pitcher in the professional ranks.
Adams posted a 0.61 ERA and 0.797 WHIP with 155 strikeouts in 69 innings during his senior season this spring. His success and projection make him an intriguing player for July’s MLB draft. Scouts envision the talented lefty as a potential early-round pick in the draft.
“It’s still in the future, so I don’t think about it too much,” Adams said. “When the time comes around, I’ll be ready.”
Adams is a 6-foot-4, 185-pound left-handed pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball, two-seamer, curveball and changeup from a high three-quarters arm slot with some deception. He deploys a high-tempo delivery that he repeats well.
Adams mainly relies on his two-seamer over his four-seam fastball. He tends to throw his two-seamer low in the zone and away from hitters while attacking the upper half of the zone with his four-seam fastball. His fastball velocity sat in the low-90s and touched 95 mph this spring.
His 11-to-5 curveball is an above-average offering with the makings of being a quality strikeout pitch at the next level. He locates it well and has a quality feel for his breaking pitch.
Adams’ changeup is a developing pitch. He showed a willingness to use his changeup this spring and featured good control with it.
“My mental game is my biggest strength,” Adams said. “I am not a super emotional pitcher. I don’t show a ton of emotion on the mound, and I don’t get startled by whatever the situation is. But I still pitch with confidence.”
Adams boasts a quality pitch mix that has tons of potential. He wants to refine his offerings while adding strength to his frame as he prepares for the next step in his baseball career.
“I want to get back in the weight room and continue to add strength this offseason,” Adams said. “I’ll focus on my offseason routine and continue throwing.”
Besides his status as a draft prospect, Adams is a University of Alabama commit. He selected the Crimson Tide over interest from programs in his home state of Texas, most notably Texas A&M and Texas.
Adams committed to Alabama due to his fandom for the university and strong connection with the coaching staff. Alabama fired head coach Brad Bohannon on May 4 due to a gambling scandal. Despite the recent coaching change, he’s eager for the opportunity and remains committed to Alabama, he said.
Adams is a strong academic student, ranking 10th in his graduating class.
“I have a lot of family from Alabama,” Adams said. “A lot of them went to Alabama. We have been Alabama fans our whole life. My sister came back from the hospital in an Alabama football shirt. When we first got the call from the coaches, it was crazy and out of the blue. That is the team I grew up watching.”
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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.
