Skylar Hales Stats & Scouting Report

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BA Grade: 40/High

Track Record: Hales spent three seasons at Santa Clara. He was a near-exclusive reliever in his freshman and junior years but made 12 starts in his sophomore season. The Rangers liked his power mix, popped him in the fourth round and signed him for $565,000. He reached Low-A Down East in his pro debut and made a cameo during High-A Hickory’s postseason run.

Scouting Report: Hales is a surefire reliever as a pro but could move quite quickly in that role. He works with a two-pitch mix of a mid-90s fastball and mid-80s slider. The fastball touched 100 mph as an amateur and has above-average life through the zone while occasionally showing sink and tail toward the bottom. The slider appears like a hybrid between a true slider and a cutter and should help him induce both whiffs and weak contact. Hales has a chiseled build at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds that has earned him the nickname Superman. His funky delivery, which features a low slot and an abbreviated arm stroke in the back, adds deception.

The Future: Hales’ powerful mix should overwhelm hitters at the lowest levels of the minor leagues. If he can sharpen his command, he could reach the big leagues quickly and fit into a late-inning role.

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

School: Santa Clara Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.7
BA Grade:40/High
Tools:Fastball: 60. Slider: 45. Control: 45.

Hales began his career at Santa Clara as a reliever, moved to the rotation as a sophomore and returned to the bullpen as the Broncos go-to reliever this spring. He went 6-5, 3.42 with four saves and had 69 strikeouts and 15 walks over 55.1 innings. Hales is a chiseled 6-foot-4, 220-pound righthander with an explosive fastball. His fastball sits 94-97 mph and has touches 100 out of a short, low arm slot that adds deception to the pitch. He can alternately elevate his fastball with good carry at the top of the zone or give it heavy sink at the bottom of the zone and gets swings and misses in both locations. Hales overwhelms hitters with his fastball and relies on it heavily. His 86-90 mph slider is a fringy pitch that batters see well, and he does not have a changeup. He throws strikes but occasionally makes mistakes over the heart of the plate. Hales’ fastball gives him a chance to be a low to mid-leverage reliever at higher levels. He projects to be selected on the draft’s second day.

RHP Skylar Hales assigned to Surprise Saguaros.
Frisco RoughRiders activated RHP Skylar Hales.
RHP Skylar Hales assigned to Frisco RoughRiders from Hickory Crawdads.
Hickory Crawdads activated RHP Skylar Hales from the 7-day injured list.
Hickory Crawdads placed RHP Skylar Hales on the 7-day injured list retroactive to April 27, 2024.
RHP Skylar Hales assigned to ACL Rangers.
Texas Rangers signed RHP Skylar Hales.
RHP Skylar Hales assigned to College Workout.
College Workout activated RHP Skylar Hales.
RHP Skylar Hales assigned to Santa Clara Broncos.