Holden Powell

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Washington Nationals #19 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Powell touched 93 mph with his fastball as a high school senior and immediately became UCLA's closer as a freshman. He won college baseball's Stopper of the Year award as the top closer in the nation as a sophomore and finished second all time in UCLA history with 26 career saves. After Powell looked particularly dominant during the abbreviated 2020 college season, the Nationals drafted him in the third round and signed him for $500,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Powell has the mix of power and poise that portends a future closer. His fastball comfortably averages 94-95 mph and touches 97 with solid sinking action. He backs his fastball up with a wipeout 82-86 mph slider that is at least a plus pitch and potentially more. He has better command of his slider than his fastball. Powell is not overly physical, but he's strong and adds some deception with his arm action. He had some trouble with control as an underclassmen but was lights-out in 2020 and pounded the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Powell has present stuff that should help him move quickly. As long as his control gains hold, he has a future in late relief.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #126 prospect in 2020 draft
  Powell won the Stopper of the Year Award as college baseball’s best reliever as a sophomore. He was on track for a repeat bid this spring with eight scoreless appearances and a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk mark as UCLA’s closer before the season shut down. Evaluators consider Powell arguably the top reliever in the 2020 draft and expect him to move quickly to a major league bullpen. Powell’s fastball ranges from 91-96 mph, sitting 93-94, and he backs it up with a wipeout power slider that draws consistent plus grades. He commands his slider better than his fastball and has had flashes of control problems in the past, but he threw plenty of strikes this spring to alleviate those concerns. Powell has shown the ability to close or pitch multiple innings, giving him multiple pathways to a major league bullpen. He is a pure reliever with no chance of starting, but his stuff and competitive, closer mentality give him a chance to be an impactful late-inning arm.

• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Powell touched 93 mph with his fastball as a high school senior and immediately became UCLA's closer as a freshman. He won college baseball's Stopper of the Year award as the top closer in the nation as a sophomore and finished second all time in UCLA history with 26 career saves. After Powell looked particularly dominant during the abbreviated 2020 college season, the Nationals drafted him in the third round and signed him for $500,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Powell has the mix of power and poise that portends a future closer. His fastball comfortably averages 94-95 mph and touches 97 with solid sinking action. He backs his fastball up with a wipeout 82-86 mph slider that is at least a plus pitch and potentially more. He has better command of his slider than his fastball. Powell is not overly physical, but he's strong and adds some deception with his arm action. He had some trouble with control as an underclassmen but was lights-out in 2020 and pounded the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Powell has present stuff that should help him move quickly. As long as his control gains hold, he has a future in late relief.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Powell touched 93 mph with his fastball as a high school senior and immediately became UCLA's closer as a freshman. He won college baseball's Stopper of the Year award as the top closer in the nation as a sophomore and finished second all time in UCLA history with 26 career saves. After Powell looked particularly dominant during the abbreviated 2020 college season, the Nationals drafted him in the third round and signed him for $500,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Powell has the mix of power and poise that portends a future closer. His fastball comfortably averages 94-95 mph and touches 97 with solid sinking action. He backs his fastball up with a wipeout 82-86 mph slider that is at least a plus pitch and potentially more. He has better command of his slider than his fastball. Powell is not overly physical, but he's strong and adds some deception with his arm action. He had some trouble with control as an underclassmen but was lights-out in 2020 and pounded the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Powell has present stuff that should help him move quickly. As long as his control gains hold, he has a future in late relief.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Powell touched 93 mph with his fastball as a high school senior and immediately became UCLA's closer as a freshman. He won college baseball's Stopper of the Year award as the top closer in the nation as a sophomore and finished second all time in UCLA history with 26 career saves. After Powell looked particularly dominant during the abbreviated 2020 college season, the Nationals drafted him in the third round and signed him for $500,000.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Powell has the mix of power and poise that portends a future closer. His fastball comfortably averages 94-95 mph and touches 97 with solid sinking action. He backs his fastball up with a wipeout 82-86 mph slider that is at least a plus pitch and potentially more. He has better command of his slider than his fastball. Powell is not overly physical, but he's strong and adds some deception with his arm action. He had some trouble with control as an underclassmen but was lights-out in 2020 and pounded the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: Powell has present stuff that should help him move quickly. As long as his control gains hold, he has a future in late relief.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  Powell won the Stopper of the Year Award as college baseball’s best reliever as a sophomore. He was on track for a repeat bid this spring with eight scoreless appearances and a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk mark as UCLA’s closer before the season shut down. Evaluators consider Powell arguably the top reliever in the 2020 draft and expect him to move quickly to a major league bullpen. Powell’s fastball ranges from 91-96 mph, sitting 93-94, and he backs it up with a wipeout power slider that draws consistent plus grades. He commands his slider better than his fastball and has had flashes of control problems in the past, but he threw plenty of strikes this spring to alleviate those concerns. Powell has shown the ability to close or pitch multiple innings, giving him multiple pathways to a major league bullpen. He is a pure reliever with no chance of starting, but his stuff and competitive, closer mentality give him a chance to be an impactful late-inning arm.
• December, 2019 Scouting Report
  Powell won the Stopper of the Year Award as college baseball’s best reliever as a sophomore. He was on track for a repeat bid this spring with eight scoreless appearances and a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk mark as UCLA’s closer before the season shut down. Evaluators consider Powell arguably the top reliever in the 2020 draft and expect him to move quickly to a major league bullpen. Powell’s fastball ranges from 91-96 mph, sitting 93-94, and he backs it up with a wipeout power slider that draws consistent plus grades. He commands his slider better than his fastball and has had flashes of control problems in the past, but he threw plenty of strikes this spring to alleviate those concerns. Powell has shown the ability to close or pitch multiple innings, giving him multiple pathways to a major league bullpen. He is a pure reliever with no chance of starting, but his stuff and competitive, closer mentality give him a chance to be an impactful late-inning arm.