Cade Kuehler Stats & Scouting Report

IP	50
ERA	2.52
WHIP	1.22
BB/9	3.6
SO/9	7.92

Full name Cade Garrett Kuehler
Born 05/24/2002 in Matthews, NC
Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Campbell
Drafted in the 2C round (70th overall) by the Atlanta Braves in 2023 (signed for $1,045,000).

View Draft Report

School: Campbell Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.1
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Fastball: 65. Slider: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 45. Cutter: 40. Control: 45.

After splitting time as a starter and reliever for Campbell during the 2021 season, Kuehler moved into a full-time starting role as the team’s Saturday starter behind supplemental first-rounder Thomas Harrington in 2022. Following a strong sophomore season, Kuehler was invited to Team USA, where he pitched in two relief appearances for the Collegiate National Team in the Netherlands. The 6-foot, 215-pound righthander was the Friday night starter for the Camels in 2023, and he posted a 2.71 ERA over 13 starts and 73 innings, with a 29.4% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. He features some deception and moving parts in his delivery, which includes an overhead windup, as well as a high leg kick and hip turn before attacking hitters with a compact arm action and three-quarter slot that looks higher at times given the first-base side tilt. Kuehler has a deep pitch mix and in the past has used a fastball, slider, curveball, cutter and changeup. As a junior, he primarily relied on a fastball/slider/curveball trio that accounted for about 90% of his total pitches thrown. His fastball averaged 94 mph and touched 98 and has always had excellent riding life with around 20 inches of induced vertical break. He changed the shape of his above-average slider and added more gyro shape in 2023 which helped him throw it for strikes more often. Kuehler’s delivery and history as a below-average strike-thrower add reliever risk to his profile, but he has plenty of arm talent and a deep mix of interesting stuff.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Kuehler was a starter and reliever with Campbell early in his career before settling in as a full-time starter for his sophomore and junior seasons. He spent a summer with the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in 2022, then had a career year with Campbell as a junior and ranked as the No. 53 prospect in the 2023 class. The Braves signed him for just over $1 million with the 70th overall pick and he made two starts with Low-A Augusta after signing.

Scouting Report: A filled-out, physical 6-foot righthander, Kuehler showed a diverse and deep pitch mix in college that was already pared down in his short pro debut. His calling card is a fastball that averaged 94 mph with Campbell and has been up to 98 with some of the best riding life in the 2023 draft class. The pitch averaged 20 inches of induced vertical break in college, and while it wasn’t quite that high in the minors, he still has plus ride on the pitch. Kuehler has also thrown a slider, curveball, changeup and cutter, but with Augusta he primarily threw his mid-80s, short-breaking slider and worked on a low-to-mid-80s split-changeup. Kuehler’s slider has gyro shape and sometimes looks more like a cutter, but it plays well off the fastball. Since shortening his slider, he’s been able to land it for strikes more consistently. Kuehler has a below-average delivery with moving parts and a short, compact arm action, though the Braves had him work out of the stretch in Augusta to help him rotate on time and add consistency to his release point.

The Future: There’s significant reliever risk with Kuehler based on his delivery, but he’s got plenty of arm talent for an organization that has a strong track record developing college pitchers, ranging from Spencer Strider to Bryce Elder.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Campbell Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.1
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Fastball: 65. Slider: 55. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 45. Cutter: 40. Control: 45.

After splitting time as a starter and reliever for Campbell during the 2021 season, Kuehler moved into a full-time starting role as the team’s Saturday starter behind supplemental first-rounder Thomas Harrington in 2022. Following a strong sophomore season, Kuehler was invited to Team USA, where he pitched in two relief appearances for the Collegiate National Team in the Netherlands. The 6-foot, 215-pound righthander was the Friday night starter for the Camels in 2023, and he posted a 2.71 ERA over 13 starts and 73 innings, with a 29.4% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. He features some deception and moving parts in his delivery, which includes an overhead windup, as well as a high leg kick and hip turn before attacking hitters with a compact arm action and three-quarter slot that looks higher at times given the first-base side tilt. Kuehler has a deep pitch mix and in the past has used a fastball, slider, curveball, cutter and changeup. As a junior, he primarily relied on a fastball/slider/curveball trio that accounted for about 90% of his total pitches thrown. His fastball averaged 94 mph and touched 98 and has always had excellent riding life with around 20 inches of induced vertical break. He changed the shape of his above-average slider and added more gyro shape in 2023 which helped him throw it for strikes more often. Kuehler’s delivery and history as a below-average strike-thrower add reliever risk to his profile, but he has plenty of arm talent and a deep mix of interesting stuff.