IP | 32 |
---|---|
ERA | 4.22 |
WHIP | 1.59 |
BB/9 | 4.5 |
SO/9 | 9.28 |
- Full name Dayton Lane Hall
- Born 09/19/1998 in Valdosta, GA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Valdosta
- Debut 08/13/2022
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Drafted in the 1st round (21st overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2017 (signed for $3,000,000).
View Draft Report
Hall's performance at the 2016 East Coast Pro Showcase was the stuff of legend. With the eyes of baseball's entire amateur scouting community upon him, Hall struck out seven batters--including Jeter Downs, Tim Elko and Brady McConnell--in three electric innings. Hall has arguably the highest ceiling of any pitcher in this year's class. His fastball velocity sometimes settles in in the low 90s but mostly works at 92-95 and touches 96. His fastball command can come and go, but he is a good athlete, and scouts expect him to develop better command as he matures physically. His curveball shows exceptionally late break with 1-to-7 shape; some scouts grade it as a future 60 while optimists have rated it as high as a 70. He can show an above-average changeup when he is throwing strikes, with the pitch showing late tumbling action in the low 80s. Hall is committed to Florida State. His inconsistency hurt his draft stock a bit during the spring, but his upside remains unquestioned and he's unlikely to slide too far in the first round. Hall is a bit older for the class, and will turn 19 in September.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 50/Medium
Track Record: A $3 million signing as the 21st overall pick in 2017, Hall reached the majors in 2022 to help in the bullpen down the stretch. An offseason back injury hampered his ramp-up entering 2023, and he left Triple-A Norfolk in June to undergo a strength program and regain his velocity for the Orioles’ playoff push. The plan worked, and Hall was a bright spot in relief after closer Felix Bautista’s season-ending elbow injury.
Scouting Report: Hall pitches off an elite fastball from the left side. The pitch averaged 95.6 mph in the big leagues in 2023 and has routinely sat in the upper 90s over the last few years, with above-average hop and the ability to miss bats up in the zone. Hall pitched with diminished velocity at Triple-A earlier in the season, but he learned to better work with his secondary pitches and use them effectively in the zone. His mid-80s changeup has developed later in his career into a plus pitch and represents his best offering to righthanded hitters, while his slider in the mid-to-high 80s is a plus pitch at its best and is his primary way of attacking lefties. Hall reintroduced his curveball, his best pitch as an amateur, giving him a fourth pitch that could be above-average or better. Perhaps most importantly, he improved his command and threw more strikes in 2023 than in years past, giving hope that he’ll be able to reach his upside and be able to have enough control to stay in the rotation.
The Future: In a brief sample down the stretch in 2023, Hall showed he can be a potentially elite reliever, but the Orioles still believe his electric four-pitch mix from the left side is that of a starter. He’ll be in the majors in 2024 as long as he’s healthy, though the team’s offseason moves might determine his role.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 80 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 30 -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Hall was one of the best prep lefthanders in the 2017 class and signed with the Orioles for $3 million to begin a pro career that has often tantalized and finally included a big league debut in 2022. He made just seven starts in 2021 due to a stress reaction in his elbow and was eased back onto the mound in 2022 by the Orioles. Hall continued to show flashes of dominance--36% strikeout rate in Triple-A--but also control issues as he walked 14% of the batters he faced with Norfolk. The Orioles gave him a start for his MLB debut in August, then moved him to the bullpen to control his innings. He excelled in relief late in the 2022 season.
Scouting Report: Few, if any, can match Hall's raw stuff from the left side. His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and has touched 100 mph with above-average hop. His 85-89 mph slider features bat-missing sweep and is his best secondary pitch, though his mid-80s changeup plays extremely well off his fastball and has plus potential. So does his curveball, a slower offering in the high 70s and low 80s. Hall's extension in the big leagues was exceptional, which makes his one shortfall--repeating his delivery and consistently commanding around the strike zone--a point of concern. He's athletic enough that the Orioles believe he can improve, but with his fastball velocity, extension and pitch mix, Hall only needs his pitches to look like strikes out of his hand to force hitters into bad swings.
The Future: Hall has a No. 2 starter ceiling given his stuff, but a high-leverage relief role is more likely at this point in his career. The Orioles will continue to develop him as a starter, with a realistic mid-rotation goal. He'll be in the major league rotation mix come 2023 spring training. -
Track Record: The Orioles got a premium talent when Hall fell to them as the 21st pick in the 2017 draft and signed for $3 million. Hall has been impressive when healthy, and in each of his first two full seasons—the second featuring a trip to the Futures Game in 2019—he got better as the season went on. But after thriving at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 and coming into 2021 with high expectations, Hall made just seven starts for Double-A Bowie, albeit dominant ones, before a stress reaction in his elbow ended his 2021 early.
Scouting Report: Hall honed his electric arsenal at the alternate site and hit 100 mph for the first time there. He carried that into 2021 in a significant way, with his fastball sitting in the high 90s and averaging 97 mph with above-average hop. The efforts of 2020 to distinguish his breaking balls paid off, with a plus slider in the mid 80s the best of his secondaries, followed by a slower curveball and a changeup. Hall’s command, however, will be what determines his big league fate. It improved since his last game action in 2019, and while his walk rate of 4.6 per nine innings was still high, the Orioles believe he was more consistently around the strike zone without sacrificing the chase his dynamic arsenal creates.
The Future: Hall’s stuff and control create the possibility of a high-leverage, late-inning reliever, but despite his injuries, he has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter. He’ll be added to the 40-man roster this winter but could be back at Double-A Bowie in 2022.
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Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 45
Track Record: Hall surprisingly fell to the Orioles at No. 21 overall in the 2017 draft, and the club felt lucky to get him there and signed him for $3 million. The 2019 Futures Game participant returned fully healthy in 2020 after an oblique injury ended his season early last year and spent the summer at the team’s alternate training site in Bowie, Md.
Scouting Report: Hall was challenged as a 20-year-old at the alternate site but made strides with his plan of attack and showed more trust in his electric four-pitch mix. Though he doesn’t consistently command it, his fastball sat 95-98 mph this summer. Hall’s slider and curveball previously blended together, but they now have distinct shapes with the slider at 82-84 mph and the curveball remaining in the 76-79 mph range but with more depth. His best secondary pitch is a swing-and-miss changeup at 82-85 mph. Hall has struggled with walks throughout his career. Maintaining a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently locate his fastball will be his next challenge.
The Future: Hall was slated to start 2020 at Double-A and should open there in 2021. He has a chance to develop into a mid-rotation starter with the stuff to be more, but that hinges on his ability to iron out his fastball command. -
TRACK RECORD: Hall's brief slide in the 2017 draft ended when the Orioles selected him 21st overall and signed him to a $3 million bonus. A dominant first full season in 2018 backed up the assessment that he was the top prep lefthander in his class. Hall spent too much time out of the strike zone in the first half of 2019 before a trip to the Futures Game set him straight. He logged a 2.67 ERA over his final five starts at high Class A Frederick before an oblique injury ended his season three weeks early.
SCOUTING REPORT: Hall's electric arsenal is highlighted by a fastball that comfortably sits 93-96 mph deep into outings and touches 97. The easy life on his fastball gives it plus-plus potential. Hall's upper-70s curveball has lived up to its pre-draft reputation as a future plus pitch he can drop in for strikes, and he's had additional success with an average short slider he's developed as a pro. His low-80s changeup has also flashed plus potential with late fade. Hall struggled to throw strikes in 2019, but his athletic delivery is repeatable. He should develop average control as he more consistently attacks hitters.
THE FUTURE: Hall has the raw stuff and pitch mix to be a mid-rotation starter or better. He'll open 2020 at Double-A. -
Track Record: A baseball/basketball start in high school, Hall was touted as perhaps the premier prep lefthander in the 2017 draft, and the Orioles were thrilled when he fell to the 21st pick. After bypassing a Florida State commitment for $3 million, he has lived up to expectations so far. After struggling some with his delivery upon his debut in 2017, Hall turned in a full, healthy season in 2018. Over the second half of the season he was arguably the best pitcher in the South Atlantic League. Hall allowed only 32 hits in 53.2 innings while posting a 0.82 ERA in 11 appearances after the all-star break.
Scouting Report: Hall got better as the season went on for low Class A Delmarva, and held his fastball velocity throughout the season, topping out at 97 mph and sitting 92-95 mph from an effortless, balanced delivery with excellent arm speed. His changeup, which came into the season as a below-average pitch, improved significantly and joins his fastball and breaking ball as future plus pitches. Hall learned to pitch without his best stuff at times in 2018, and his mental development with his natural athleticism bode well for the future. Hall ate up righthanded hitters, holding them to a .180/.292/.276 stat line, which also is a positive indicator for future success as his fastball and changeup kept righthanded hitters from ever getting comfortable.
The Future: Hall's early success and health put him in position to break the Orioles' developmental struggles when it comes to high school pitchers. He projects as a mid-rotation starter at worst, with the only caveat that he needs to stay healthy. He'll get a chance to do that at high Class A Frederick in 2019. -
Hall helped lead Houston County High in Warner Robins, Ga., to a state baseball title as a junior. He then solidified his status on the national scene by striking out seven batters in three innings at the 2016 East Coast Pro Showcase. He also showed off his athelticism as an excellent basketball player, averaging nearly 20 points per game while showing an ability to throw down some impressive dunks. Even with an inconsistent 2017 at Valdosta (Ga.) High, the Orioles were convinced he would be gone by the time they picked at No. 21. When he was available, they pounced, signing him away from a Florida State commitment for an above-slot $3 million bonus. Hall struggled in his pro debut, walking 10 in 10.1 innings in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, and ending with a 6.97 ERA but was one of the best pitchers at Orioles instructional league and impressed club officials with his consistent release point along with his pitchability. Even with expected physical maturation, his fastball already grades as plus at 92-95 mph, with the ability to throw inside to both lefties and righties. His 1-to-7 curveball projects as an above-average pitch, with his changeup presently below-average but with average potential. Though far from the majors, Hall showed the best breaking ball among the high school class of 2017 and could blossom into a mid-rotation starter. He'll be ticketed for low Class A Delmarva to begin 2018 and will be further introduced to the professional game as a 19-year-old.
Draft Prospects
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Hall's performance at the 2016 East Coast Pro Showcase was the stuff of legend. With the eyes of baseball's entire amateur scouting community upon him, Hall struck out seven batters--including Jeter Downs, Tim Elko and Brady McConnell--in three electric innings. Hall has arguably the highest ceiling of any pitcher in this year's class. His fastball velocity sometimes settles in in the low 90s but mostly works at 92-95 and touches 96. His fastball command can come and go, but he is a good athlete, and scouts expect him to develop better command as he matures physically. His curveball shows exceptionally late break with 1-to-7 shape; some scouts grade it as a future 60 while optimists have rated it as high as a 70. He can show an above-average changeup when he is throwing strikes, with the pitch showing late tumbling action in the low 80s. Hall is committed to Florida State. His inconsistency hurt his draft stock a bit during the spring, but his upside remains unquestioned and he's unlikely to slide too far in the first round. Hall is a bit older for the class, and will turn 19 in September.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Hall was fifth in the Carolina League in strikeouts despite throwing fewer than 81 innings. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he walked six batters per nine innings. Scouts say command is the biggest issue with the 21st pick from the 2017 draft. Hall is a good athlete and repeats his mechanics fairly well, but he often misses, especially to the armside. Hall’s 96 mph fastball, changeup and curveball all have plus potential. He found the zone in the Futures Game in Cleveland, throwing eight strikes in 12 pitches to retire the side in order. "He has a big-time fastball/breaking ball combo,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said. "He’s in the upper 90s. He competes, and he has the ability to strike people out.” With the Orioles rebuilding, Hall also has the benefit of time. The organization can afford to be patient while developing such a prized arm. -
The Orioles were careful with their 2017 first-round pick. Hall threw more than 80 pitches just three times and never topped 90. But within those parameters, he dominated. Over the second half, Hall allowed a mere 32 hits in 53.2 innings as he posted a 0.84 ERA in 11 outings. He didn't allow more than one earned run in any of his final 13 appearances. "He was far and away the best pitcher I saw (in the SAL)," a pro scout said. Hall dominated hitters with a 92-96 mph fastball that seems to find another gear as it nears the plate. He's better locating to his arm side than glove side right now. He's comfortable elevating his fastball, but he can also tickle the bottom of the zone. Hall's 10-to-4 curveball isn't as consistent yet, though he'll break off several above-average ones each outing. His plus low-80s changeup is more consistent. It had both deception and some late fade. Hall's frame is compact but strong and his delivery is simple. He has potential future plus command and control, making him a possible front-of-the-rotation starter.
Top 100 Rankings
Best Tools List
- Rated Best Curveball in the Baltimore Orioles in 2020
- Rated Best Curveball in the Baltimore Orioles in 2019
- Rated Best Fastball in the Baltimore Orioles in 2019
Scouting Reports
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BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Hall was one of the best prep lefthanders in the 2017 class and signed with the Orioles for $3 million to begin a pro career that has often tantalized and finally included a big league debut in 2022. He made just seven starts in 2021 due to a stress reaction in his elbow and was eased back onto the mound in 2022 by the Orioles. Hall continued to show flashes of dominance--36% strikeout rate in Triple-A--but also control issues as he walked 14% of the batters he faced with Norfolk. The Orioles gave him a start for his MLB debut in August, then moved him to the bullpen to control his innings. He excelled in relief late in the 2022 season.
Scouting Report: Few, if any, can match Hall's raw stuff from the left side. His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and has touched 100 mph with above-average hop. His 85-89 mph slider features bat-missing sweep and is his best secondary pitch, though his mid-80s changeup plays extremely well off his fastball and has plus potential. So does his curveball, a slower offering in the high 70s and low 80s. Hall's extension in the big leagues was exceptional, which makes his one shortfall--repeating his delivery and consistently commanding around the strike zone--a point of concern. He's athletic enough that the Orioles believe he can improve, but with his fastball velocity, extension and pitch mix, Hall only needs his pitches to look like strikes out of his hand to force hitters into bad swings.
The Future: Hall has a No. 2 starter ceiling given his stuff, but a high-leverage relief role is more likely at this point in his career. The Orioles will continue to develop him as a starter, with a realistic mid-rotation goal. He'll be in the major league rotation mix come 2023 spring training. -
BA Grade/Risk: 55/High
Track Record: Hall was one of the best prep lefthanders in the 2017 class and signed with the Orioles for $3 million to begin a pro career that has often tantalized and finally included a big league debut in 2022. He made just seven starts in 2021 due to a stress reaction in his elbow and was eased back onto the mound in 2022 by the Orioles. Hall continued to show flashes of dominance--36% strikeout rate in Triple-A--but also control issues as he walked 14% of the batters he faced with Norfolk. The Orioles gave him a start for his MLB debut in August, then moved him to the bullpen to control his innings. He excelled in relief late in the 2022 season.
Scouting Report: Few, if any, can match Hall's raw stuff from the left side. His four-seam fastball sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and has touched 100 mph with above-average hop. His 85-89 mph slider features bat-missing sweep and is his best secondary pitch, though his mid-80s changeup plays extremely well off his fastball and has plus potential. So does his curveball, a slower offering in the high 70s and low 80s. Hall's extension in the big leagues was exceptional, which makes his one shortfall--repeating his delivery and consistently commanding around the strike zone--a point of concern. He's athletic enough that the Orioles believe he can improve, but with his fastball velocity, extension and pitch mix, Hall only needs his pitches to look like strikes out of his hand to force hitters into bad swings.
The Future: Hall has a No. 2 starter ceiling given his stuff, but a high-leverage relief role is more likely at this point in his career. The Orioles will continue to develop him as a starter, with a realistic mid-rotation goal. He'll be in the major league rotation mix come 2023 spring training. -
BA Grade: 60/Very High
Track Record: The Orioles got a premium talent when Hall fell to them as the 21st pick in the 2017 draft and signed for $3 million, considering he was considered the best prep lefty in that class. Hall has been impressive when healthy, and in each of his first two full seasons—the second featuring a trip to the Futures Game in 2019—he got better as the season went on. But after thriving at the team's alternate training site in 2020 and coming into 2021 with high expectations, Hall made just seven starts for Double-A Bowie, albeit dominant ones, before a stress reaction in his elbow ended his 2021 early.
Scouting Report: Hall honed his electric arsenal at the alternate site and hit 100 mph for the first time there. He carried that into 2021 in a significant way, with his fastball sitting in the high 90s and averaging 97 mph with above-average hop. The efforts of 2020 to distinguish his breaking balls paid off, with a plus slider in the mid 80s the best of his secondaries, followed by a slower curveball and a changeup. Hall's command, however, will be what determines his big league fate. It improved since his last game-action in 2019, and while his walk rate of 4.6 per nine innings was still high, the Orioles believe he was more consistently around the strike zone without sacrificing the chase his dynamic arsenal creates.
The Future: Hall's stuff and control create the possibility of a high-leverage, late-inning reliever, but despite his injuries, he has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter. He'll be added to the 40-man roster this winter but could be back at Double-A Bowie in 2022.
Scouting Grades
Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 45. -
Track Record: The Orioles got a premium talent when Hall fell to them as the 21st pick in the 2017 draft and signed for $3 million. Hall has been impressive when healthy, and in each of his first two full seasons—the second featuring a trip to the Futures Game in 2019—he got better as the season went on. But after thriving at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 and coming into 2021 with high expectations, Hall made just seven starts for Double-A Bowie, albeit dominant ones, before a stress reaction in his elbow ended his 2021 early.
Scouting Report: Hall honed his electric arsenal at the alternate site and hit 100 mph for the first time there. He carried that into 2021 in a significant way, with his fastball sitting in the high 90s and averaging 97 mph with above-average hop. The efforts of 2020 to distinguish his breaking balls paid off, with a plus slider in the mid 80s the best of his secondaries, followed by a slower curveball and a changeup. Hall’s command, however, will be what determines his big league fate. It improved since his last game action in 2019, and while his walk rate of 4.6 per nine innings was still high, the Orioles believe he was more consistently around the strike zone without sacrificing the chase his dynamic arsenal creates.
The Future: Hall’s stuff and control create the possibility of a high-leverage, late-inning reliever, but despite his injuries, he has a ceiling of a No. 3 starter. He’ll be added to the 40-man roster this winter but could be back at Double-A Bowie in 2022.
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Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 45
Track Record: Hall surprisingly fell to the Orioles at No. 21 overall in the 2017 draft, and the club felt lucky to get him there and signed him for $3 million. The 2019 Futures Game participant returned fully healthy in 2020 after an oblique injury ended his season early last year and spent the summer at the team's alternate training site in Bowie, Md.
Scouting Report: Hall was challenged as a 20-year-old at the alternate site but made strides with his plan of attack and showed more trust in his electric four-pitch mix. Though he doesn't consistently command it, his fastball sat 95-98 mph this summer. Hall's slider and curveball previously blended together, but they now have distinct shapes with the slider at 82-84 mph and the curveball remaining in the 76-79 mph range but with more depth. His best secondary pitch is a swing-and-miss changeup at 82-85 mph. Hall has struggled with walks throughout his career. Maintaining a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently locate his fastball will be his next challenge.
The Future: Hall was slated to start 2020 at Double-A and should open there in 2021. He has a chance to develop into a mid-rotation starter with the stuff to be more, but that hinges on his ability to iron out his fastball command. -
Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 45
Track Record: Hall surprisingly fell to the Orioles at No. 21 overall in the 2017 draft, and the club felt lucky to get him there and signed him for $3 million. The 2019 Futures Game participant returned fully healthy in 2020 after an oblique injury ended his season early last year and spent the summer at the team’s alternate training site in Bowie, Md.
Scouting Report: Hall was challenged as a 20-year-old at the alternate site but made strides with his plan of attack and showed more trust in his electric four-pitch mix. Though he doesn’t consistently command it, his fastball sat 95-98 mph this summer. Hall’s slider and curveball previously blended together, but they now have distinct shapes with the slider at 82-84 mph and the curveball remaining in the 76-79 mph range but with more depth. His best secondary pitch is a swing-and-miss changeup at 82-85 mph. Hall has struggled with walks throughout his career. Maintaining a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently locate his fastball will be his next challenge.
The Future: Hall was slated to start 2020 at Double-A and should open there in 2021. He has a chance to develop into a mid-rotation starter with the stuff to be more, but that hinges on his ability to iron out his fastball command. -
Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 45
Track Record: Hall surprisingly fell to the Orioles at No. 21 overall in the 2017 draft, and the club felt lucky to get him there and signed him for $3 million. The 2019 Futures Game participant returned fully healthy in 2020 after an oblique injury ended his season early last year and spent the summer at the team’s alternate training site in Bowie, Md.
Scouting Report: Hall was challenged as a 20-year-old at the alternate site but made strides with his plan of attack and showed more trust in his electric four-pitch mix. Though he doesn’t consistently command it, his fastball sat 95-98 mph this summer. Hall’s slider and curveball previously blended together, but they now have distinct shapes with the slider at 82-84 mph and the curveball remaining in the 76-79 mph range but with more depth. His best secondary pitch is a swing-and-miss changeup at 82-85 mph. Hall has struggled with walks throughout his career. Maintaining a repeatable delivery that allows him to consistently locate his fastball will be his next challenge.
The Future: Hall was slated to start 2020 at Double-A and should open there in 2021. He has a chance to develop into a mid-rotation starter with the stuff to be more, but that hinges on his ability to iron out his fastball command. -
TRACK RECORD: Hall’s brief slide in the 2017 draft ended when the Orioles selected him 21st overall and signed him to a $3 million bonus. A dominant first full season in 2018 backed up the assessment that he was the top prep lefthander in his class. Hall spent too much time out of the strike zone in the first half of 2019 before a trip to the Futures Game set him straight. He logged a 2.67 ERA over his final five starts at high Class A Frederick before an oblique injury ended his season three weeks early.
SCOUTING REPORT: Hall’s electric arsenal is highlighted by a fastball that comfortably sits 93-96 mph deep into outings and touches 97. The easy life on his fastball gives it plus-plus potential. Hall’s upper-70s curveball has lived up to its pre-draft reputation as a future plus pitch he can drop in for strikes, and he’s had additional success with an average short slider he’s developed as a pro. His low-80s changeup has also flashed plus potential with late fade. Hall struggled to throw strikes in 2019, but his athletic delivery is repeatable. He should develop average control as he more consistently attacks hitters.
THE FUTURE: Hall has the raw stuff and pitch mix to be a mid-rotation starter or better. He’ll open 2020 at Double-A. -
TRACK RECORD: Hall's brief slide in the 2017 draft ended when the Orioles selected him 21st overall and signed him to a $3 million bonus. A dominant first full season in 2018 backed up the assessment that he was the top prep lefthander in his class. Hall spent too much time out of the strike zone in the first half of 2019 before a trip to the Futures Game set him straight. He logged a 2.67 ERA over his final five starts at high Class A Frederick before an oblique injury ended his season three weeks early.
SCOUTING REPORT: Hall's electric arsenal is highlighted by a fastball that comfortably sits 93-96 mph deep into outings and touches 97. The easy life on his fastball gives it plus-plus potential. Hall's upper-70s curveball has lived up to its pre-draft reputation as a future plus pitch he can drop in for strikes, and he's had additional success with an average short slider he's developed as a pro. His low-80s changeup has also flashed plus potential with late fade. Hall struggled to throw strikes in 2019, but his athletic delivery is repeatable. He should develop average control as he more consistently attacks hitters.
THE FUTURE: Hall has the raw stuff and pitch mix to be a mid-rotation starter or better. He'll open 2020 at Double-A. -
Hall was fifth in the Carolina League in strikeouts despite throwing fewer than 81 innings. That’s the good news. The bad news is that he walked six batters per nine innings. Scouts say command is the biggest issue with the 21st pick from the 2017 draft. Hall is a good athlete and repeats his mechanics fairly well, but he often misses, especially to the armside. Hall’s 96 mph fastball, changeup and curveball all have plus potential. He found the zone in the Futures Game in Cleveland, throwing eight strikes in 12 pitches to retire the side in order. "He has a big-time fastball/breaking ball combo,” Wilmington manager Scott Thorman said. "He’s in the upper 90s. He competes, and he has the ability to strike people out.” With the Orioles rebuilding, Hall also has the benefit of time. The organization can afford to be patient while developing such a prized arm. -
Track Record: Hall was touted as perhaps the premier prep lefthander in the 2017 draft, and the Orioles were thrilled when he fell to the 21st pick. After bypassing a Florida State commitment for $3 million, he has lived up to expectations so far. After struggling some with his delivery upon his debut in 2017, Hall turned in a full, healthy season in 2018. Scouting Report: Hall got better as the season went on for low Class A Delmarva, and held his fastball velocity throughout the season, topping out at 97 mph and sitting 92-95 mph from an effortless, balanced delivery with excellent arm speed. His changeup, which came into the season as a below-average pitch, improved significantly and joins his fastball and breaking ball as future plus pitches. Hall learned to pitch without his best stuff at times in 2018, and his mental development with his natural athleticism bode well for the future. The Future: Hall’s early success and health put him in position to break the Orioles’ developmental struggles when it comes to high school pitchers. He projects as a mid-rotation starter at worst, with the only caveat that he needs to stay healthy. He’ll get a chance to do that at high Class A Frederick in 2019. -
The youngster in the Orioles’ stacked rotation that started the season in the South Atlantic League, their 2017 first-round pick is showing he’s worth that billing. He’s been reaching 97 mph with his fastball from a consistent delivery and featured one of the best breaking balls in last year’s draft, and the Orioles are using his time in Delmarva to help him build a professional routine while not extending him too much in his first full season. -
Track Record: In the summer before his junior year, Hall solidified his status on the national scene by striking out seven batters in three innings of work at the 2016 East Coast Pro Showcase. Even with an inconsistent spring a Valdosta (Ga.) HS, performances like that convinced the Orioles that he'd be gone by the time they picked at No. 21 this summer. When he was available, they pounced, signing him away from a Florida State commitment for an above-slot $3 million bonus. Scouting Report: Hall struggled in his professional debut, walking nearly a batter per inning (10 in 10 .1) and ending with a 6.97 ERA, but was one of the best pitchers Baltimore had in the Instructional League and impressed club officials with his consistent release point along with his pitchability. Even with expected physical maturation, his fastball is already plus at 92-95 mph, with the ability to throw inside to both sides of the plate. His 1-to-7 curveball projects as an above-average pitch, with his changeup presently below-average but with average potential. The Future: Though far from the majors, Hall was seen as having the highest upside of any pitcher in the 2017 draft, and could blossom into a mid-rotation starter. He'll be ticketed for Class-A Delmarva to begin his first full season, where he'll be further introduced to the professional game as a 19-year-old.