Nick Neidert Stats & Scouting Report

IP	49
ERA	4.592
WHIP	1.449
BB/9	4.592
SO/9	5.143

Full name Nicholas William Neidert
Born 11/20/1996 in Atlanta, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 202 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Peachtree Ridge
Debut 07/25/2020
Drafted in the 2nd round (60th overall) by the Seattle Mariners in 2015 (signed for $1,200,000).

View Draft Report

Neidert was one of the top performers at the WWBA World Championship last fall. He threw a complete game two-hitter and his fastball was the fourth hardest at the event, according to TrackMan data. He carried that momentum over to the spring and was off to a fine start to the season before coming down with elbow tendinitis. He was able to get back on the mound before the season ended and showed solid stuff. At his best, Neidert runs his fastball up to 95 mph and comfortably sits in the low 90s with lively action down in the zone. He repeats his delivery well and fills up the zone with ease. Neidert shows some feel for spinning the ball, but because he throws from a low three-quarters slot he will likely need to transform his breaking ball into a true slider. Both it and his changeup could develop into average offerings, but he lacks an out pitch right now. The biggest knock against Neidert is his size. He is listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and doesn't project to get much bigger. One scout compared his build to Tim Hudson. While Neidert has good athleticism, he will not be a two-way player in college like Hudson was at Auburn if he upholds his commitment to South Carolina.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, Neidert was traded to Miami in the deal that sent Dee Strange-Gordon to Seattle. He missed most of the 2019 season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, then made his big league debut in the truncated 2020 season. He spent 2021 shuttling back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues.

Scouting Report: Neidert has a full four-pitch complement but works most frequently with a four-seam fastball that averaged 93 mph in the minor leagues but touched as high as 97 and a mid-80s slider with sharp downward break at its best. His changeup sat around 84 mph in the minor leagues and showed a solid separation from his fastball of roughly nine mph. Neidert also has a seldom-used curveball, thrown in the low 80s. The solid control he showed in the minor leagues evaporated in the big leagues, where he walked 23 hitters in 35.2 innings. Neidert’s delivery is stiff and rigid, with a stabbing action in the back which does not typically lend itself to precision around the strike zone.

The Future: Neidert’s likely role is the one he played in 2021: a starter who fits at the back of a rotation for a second-division club. If he improves his command and control, he could have a touch more ceiling.
TRACK RECORD: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, the Marlins acquired Neidert as part of the trade that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle in 2017. Neidert made it to Triple-A New Orleans in 2019 before having surgery to repair his meniscus. He returned with an impressive five-start performance at the Arizona Fall League and made his Marlins debut in 2020, compiling a 5.40 ERA in four games.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert shows command of his 90-92 mph fastball and relies on that command to succeed. He can locate the pitch to both sides of the plate with late movement and often uses it as a complement--rather than as his primary offering--to his plus changeup and average slider. His curveball is still a work in progress. Neidert's solid, repeatable delivery creates good deception with his three-pitch mix to keep hitters off-balance.

THE FUTURE: Neidert's ceiling is a back-end starter or long reliever, but he's ready now and will be a part of the Marlins' pitching staff in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Selected by the Mariners in the second round of the 2015 draft, Neidert quickly gained a reputation for both an advanced feel and command of his fastball-changeup mix. The Marlins netted Neidert as one of three Mariners prospects, along with Robert Dugger, in the Dec. 2017 deal that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle. Surgery to repair his meniscus cost Neidert a chunk of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert's 90-94 mph fastball doesn't overpower hitters but the pitch plays up due to some deception through delivery, late movement as well as his ability to spot it to all parts of the plate. Neidert further expanded his fastball's value in 2019 by pitching up in the zone, which generated more soft contact to go along with an excellent swing-and-miss rate. Neidert's plus changeup keeps hitters off-balance. While Neidert still has a big 12-6 curveball, its early break and lack of true deception despite good spin relegates it to a fourth pitch. Neidert's success at the upper levels by the development of a cutter-slider hybrid with just enough angle and depth to both sides to keep hitters off-balance. Neidert generates a high front side with his glove and stays closed before generating tilt toward the plate. He maintains a consistent release point.

THE FUTURE: Neidert made up for the time lost due to his right knee injury by making five starts in the Arizona Fall League, where he went 2-0, 1.25 with 19 strikeouts and just two walks in 21.2 innings. With the ceiling of a mid-to-back of the rotation starter,
Track Record: The Mariners' top draft pick in 2015, Neidert was one of three prospects traded to the Marlins in December 2017 for Dee Gordon and international bonus pool money. After being honored as the California League pitcher of the year in 2017, Neidert was even better as a 21-year-old in Double-A and was named the Marlins' minor league pitcher of the year with a stellar season in 2018.

Scouting Report: Listed at 6-foot-1, 180 pounds, Neidert isn't overpowering, though his fastball regularly sits between 91-93 mph. He locates his fastball well to both sides of the plate and uses a plus changeup to prohibit hitters from sitting on his fastball. Neidert's low-80s breaking ball doesn't grade out much better than average, but he isn't afraid to throw it in any count. All three of Neidert's pitches play up because of his plus control and ability to keep hitters off-balance.

The Future: Neidert may not have the upside to match other pitching prospects in the Marlins' system, such as fellow righthanders Sandy Alcantara, Jorge Guzman or Edward Cabrera, but he is the safest bet to maximize his potential. Neidert will begin 2019 in Triple-A New Orleans, with a late-season callup to Miami possible, if not likely.
The Mariners' first selection in 2015, Neidert claimed California League pitcher of the year honors in 2017 after going 10-3, 2.76 at high Class A Modesto. The Marlins acquired Neidert, shortstop Chris Torres and righthander Robert Dugger after the 2017 season in the deal that sent Dee Gordon and international bonus pool money to Seattle. Nediert advanced to Double-A Arkansas as a 20-year-old in 2017. He was adjusting to the level when he took a comebacker off his right forearm in mid-August, and he finished the year on the disabled list with a deep bone bruise. Neidert's aggressive approach allows him to excel. He goes right at hitters, has advanced feel for his secondary pitches and shows good poise on the mound. He effectively sequences his three pitches and throws strikes. Neidert's fastball sits 90-93 mph but plays up with carry through the zone due to a late hop in his delivery. Both of his secondary offerings--an average low-80s slider and future plus changeup at 78-81 mph with deception and fade--play up because of how well he commands them. He repeats his high three-quarters delivery, keeping hitters off balance. Neidert has a high aptitude for his craft with the ability to quickly make adjustments. Some observers don't see a true out pitch in Nediert's arsenal, but he succeeds because of his competitive nature and advanced pitchabilty. He projects as a No. 4 starter and will likely return Double-A in 2018.
The Mariners made Neidert their first selection in 2015 and signed the Georgia prep for an above-slot $1.2 million. His slight frame but competitive nature draws comparisons with Tim Hudson. Neidert added velocity after a full offseason in the Mariners system, with a fastball frequently hitting 94 mph now after previously registering 90-92. He locates his fastball in every quadrant and excels at using it to get ahead immediately as a first-pitch strike. His low-80s changeup shows deception and fade, and he is developing feel for his slider, now a low-80s offering increasingly becoming a swing-and-miss pitch. What separates Neidert is exceptional command and an aggressive approach that keeps his pitch counts low and hitters on their heels. Neidert posted the third-lowest WHIP in the league from the time he debuted and throwing 69 percent of his pitches for strikes. He also made major strides holding runners and fielding his position. Neidert's increased velocity and stuff ups his ceiling to a No. 3 or 4 starter. He will begin 2017 at high Class A Modesto.
Neidert got the Mariners' attention in an October 2014 outing at the World Wood Bat Championships, when he tossed a two-hit shutout in a duel with eventual Blue Jays second-rounder Brady Singer (who did not sign). He missed time during his senior season with elbow tendinitis but returned later in the spring, and the Mariners signed him away from a commitment to South Carolina with a $1.2 million bonus as the 60th overall pick. The slight righty, who draws comparisons to Tim Hudson, brings an advanced approach and feel to pitch with a fastball/ changeup combination. He hits his spots with a 90-92 mph fastball that has reached 94, and he can locate to either side of the plate. His changeup also has potential to be an above-average offering with deception, sink and fade. He's still developing feel for a slider that he's learning to throw from his high three-quarters arm slot. He worked on improving his balance in his delivery--as he wore down later in starts, he'd start to leave the ball up. He needs to be quicker to the plate, with runners on base. Observers rave about his competitiveness and advanced approach. In his only appearance out of the bullpen and without his best stuff, he helped the Mariners' Rookie-level Arizona League team reach the title game by tossing four shutout innings of relief. He has a chance to make his full-season debut with low Class A Clinton and has No. 4 starter upside--perhaps more if his velocity improves.

Draft Prospects

Neidert was one of the top performers at the WWBA World Championship last fall. He threw a complete game two-hitter and his fastball was the fourth hardest at the event, according to TrackMan data. He carried that momentum over to the spring and was off to a fine start to the season before coming down with elbow tendinitis. He was able to get back on the mound before the season ended and showed solid stuff. At his best, Neidert runs his fastball up to 95 mph and comfortably sits in the low 90s with lively action down in the zone. He repeats his delivery well and fills up the zone with ease. Neidert shows some feel for spinning the ball, but because he throws from a low three-quarters slot he will likely need to transform his breaking ball into a true slider. Both it and his changeup could develop into average offerings, but he lacks an out pitch right now. The biggest knock against Neidert is his size. He is listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds and doesn't project to get much bigger. One scout compared his build to Tim Hudson. While Neidert has good athleticism, he will not be a two-way player in college like Hudson was at Auburn if he upholds his commitment to South Carolina.

Minor League Top Prospects

The Mariners approached Neidert in the offseason and told him they needed to see more strikeouts. He said "OK" and went out and did it. With supreme control and pitchability, Neidert upped his strikeout rate from 6.8 per nine innings to 9.4 and earned a promotion to Double-A. He won the Cal League pitcher of the year award despite not qualifying for the league ERA title. Neidert sits 91-93 mph with his fastball, but it plays up with carry through the zone due to a late hop in his delivery. He commands it impeccably and backs it up with a changeup that flashed plus and an average-to-above slider, all with the best control in the league. "He's very aggressive--he comes after the hitters," Lake Elsinore manager Edwin Rodriguez said. "When you have that in combination with a powerful arm, with a feel for the secondary pitches, you can pitch in any league." Neidert doesn't have much physical projection left and his pure stuff is a tad short for some evaluators, but most are optimistic he'll carve out a long career as a solid rotation member.
The Mariners lost their 2015 first-round pick after signing free agent outfielder Nelson Cruz, so they made Neidert their top choice at No. 60 overall in the second round. He signed for $1.2 million and turned in one of the league's better pitching performances, with six of his 11 starts being scoreless outings, and he generated an abundance of groundball outs. Neidert is an ultra-competitive strike-thrower with excellent command of three pitches and impressive mound presence. His 90-92 mph fastball could be a plus pitch in time, and his changeup and curveball should be average offerings. Talent evaluators pointed out that Neidert doesn't have a strong out pitch, but he should be able to succeed as at least a back-end starter because of his projectable command and athleticism. At times, Neidert gets off balance with his high three-quarters delivery, but he presents no large red flags. During the season he continued making adjustments and quickened his delivery with runners on base. "For a high school kid, he's repeating his delivery more consistently than I've seen," Mariners manager Darrin Garner said.

Best Tools List

Rated Best Slider in the Miami Marlins in 2020
Rated Best Control in the Miami Marlins in 2019
Rated Best Slider in the Miami Marlins in 2019

Scouting Reports

Track Record: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, Neidert was traded to Miami in the deal that sent Dee Strange-Gordon to Seattle. He missed most of the 2019 season after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus, then made his big league debut in the truncated 2020 season. He spent 2021 shuttling back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues.

Scouting Report: Neidert has a full four-pitch complement but works most frequently with a four-seam fastball that averaged 93 mph in the minor leagues but touched as high as 97 and a mid-80s slider with sharp downward break at its best. His changeup sat around 84 mph in the minor leagues and showed a solid separation from his fastball of roughly nine mph. Neidert also has a seldom-used curveball, thrown in the low 80s. The solid control he showed in the minor leagues evaporated in the big leagues, where he walked 23 hitters in 35.2 innings. Neidert’s delivery is stiff and rigid, with a stabbing action in the back which does not typically lend itself to precision around the strike zone.

The Future: Neidert’s likely role is the one he played in 2021: a starter who fits at the back of a rotation for a second-division club. If he improves his command and control, he could have a touch more ceiling.
TRACK RECORD: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, the Marlins acquired Neidert as part of the trade that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle in 2017. Neidert made it to Triple-A New Orleans in 2019 before having surgery to repair his meniscus. He returned with an impressive five-start performance at the Arizona Fall League and made his Marlins debut in 2020, compiling a 5.40 ERA in four games.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert shows command of his 90-92 mph fastball and relies on that command to succeed. He can locate the pitch to both sides of the plate with late movement and often uses it as a complement--rather than as his primary offering--to his plus changeup and average slider. His curveball is still a work in progress. Neidert's solid, repeatable delivery creates good deception with his three-pitch mix to keep hitters off-balance.

THE FUTURE: Neidert's ceiling is a back-end starter or long reliever, but he's ready now and will be a part of the Marlins' pitching staff in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, the Marlins acquired Neidert as part of the trade that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle in 2017. Neidert made it to Triple-A New Orleans in 2019 before having surgery to repair his meniscus. He returned with an impressive five-start performance at the Arizona Fall League and made his Marlins debut in 2020, compiling a 5.40 ERA in four games.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert shows command of his 90-92 mph fastball and relies on that command to succeed. He can locate the pitch to both sides of the plate with late movement and often uses it as a complement--rather than as his primary offering--to his plus changeup and average slider. His curveball is still a work in progress. Neidert's solid, repeatable delivery creates good deception with his three-pitch mix to keep hitters off-balance.

THE FUTURE: Neidert's ceiling is a back-end starter or long reliever, but he's ready now and will be a part of the Marlins' pitching staff in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: A second-round pick of the Mariners in 2015, the Marlins acquired Neidert as part of the trade that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle in 2017. Neidert made it to Triple-A New Orleans in 2019 before having surgery to repair his meniscus. He returned with an impressive five-start performance at the Arizona Fall League and made his Marlins debut in 2020, compiling a 5.40 ERA in four games.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert shows command of his 90-92 mph fastball and relies on that command to succeed. He can locate the pitch to both sides of the plate with late movement and often uses it as a complement--rather than as his primary offering--to his plus changeup and average slider. His curveball is still a work in progress. Neidert's solid, repeatable delivery creates good deception with his three-pitch mix to keep hitters off-balance.

THE FUTURE: Neidert's ceiling is a back-end starter or long reliever, but he's ready now and will be a part of the Marlins' pitching staff in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Selected by the Mariners in the second round of the 2015 draft, Neidert quickly gained a reputation for both an advanced feel and command of his fastball-changeup mix. The Marlins netted Neidert as one of three Mariners prospects, along with Robert Dugger, in the Dec. 2017 deal that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle. Surgery to repair his meniscus cost Neidert a chunk of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert’s 90-94 mph fastball doesn’t overpower hitters but the pitch plays up due to some deception through delivery, late movement as well as his ability to spot it to all parts of the plate. Neidert further expanded his fastball’s value in 2019 by pitching up in the zone, which generated more soft contact to go along with an excellent swing-and-miss rate. Neidert’s plus changeup keeps hitters off- BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium balance. While Neidert still has a big 12-6 curveball, its early break and lack of true deception despite good spin relegates it to a fourth pitch. Neidert’s success at the upper levels by the development of a cutter-slider hybrid with just enough angle and depth to both sides to keep hitters off-balance. Neidert generates a high front side with his glove and stays closed before generating tilt toward the plate. He maintains a consistent release point.

THE FUTURE: Neidert made up for the time lost due to his right knee injury by making five starts in the Arizona Fall League, where he went 2-0, 1.25 with 19 strikeouts and just two walks in 21.2 innings. With the ceiling of a mid-to-back of the rotation starter,
TRACK RECORD: Selected by the Mariners in the second round of the 2015 draft, Neidert quickly gained a reputation for both an advanced feel and command of his fastball-changeup mix. The Marlins netted Neidert as one of three Mariners prospects, along with Robert Dugger, in the Dec. 2017 deal that sent Dee Gordon to Seattle. Surgery to repair his meniscus cost Neidert a chunk of the season.

SCOUTING REPORT: Neidert's 90-94 mph fastball doesn't overpower hitters but the pitch plays up due to some deception through delivery, late movement as well as his ability to spot it to all parts of the plate. Neidert further expanded his fastball's value in 2019 by pitching up in the zone, which generated more soft contact to go along with an excellent swing-and-miss rate. Neidert's plus changeup keeps hitters off-balance. While Neidert still has a big 12-6 curveball, its early break and lack of true deception despite good spin relegates it to a fourth pitch. Neidert's success at the upper levels by the development of a cutter-slider hybrid with just enough angle and depth to both sides to keep hitters off-balance. Neidert generates a high front side with his glove and stays closed before generating tilt toward the plate. He maintains a consistent release point.

THE FUTURE: Neidert made up for the time lost due to his right knee injury by making five starts in the Arizona Fall League, where he went 2-0, 1.25 with 19 strikeouts and just two walks in 21.2 innings. With the ceiling of a mid-to-back of the rotation starter,
Acquired in the Dee Gordon trade with the Mariners, Neidert excelled in the Southern League in the first half. Often described as having better command than stuff, Neidert knows how to pitch with a 90-93 mph fastball with movement that he controls to both sides of the plate and a plus changeup that is his best secondary offering. His breaking ball is currently average, but his command, fastball, changeup and feel to pitch give him enough weapons to potentially project as a No. 3 starter in the majors.
Background: The Mariners made Neidert their first selection in 2015 and signed the Georgia prep for an above-slot $1.2 million after he wowed them with a two-hit shutout in the World Wood Bat Championships prior to his senior season. His slight frame but competitive nature draws comparisons with Tim Hudson. Scouting Report: Neidert added velocity after a full offseason in the Mariners system, with a fastball frequently hitting 94 mph now after previously registering 90-92. He locates his fastball in every quadrant and excels at using it to get ahead immediately as a first-pitch strike. His low-80s changeup shows deception and fade, and he is developing feel for his slider, now a low-80s offering increasingly becoming a swing-and-miss pitch. What separates Neidert is exceptional command and an aggressive approach that keeps his pitch counts low and hitters on their heels. After beginning the year in extended spring training, he jumped to low Class A Clinton and immediately became one of the Midwest League's most effective starters, posting the third-lowest WHIP in the league from the time he debuted and throwing 69 percent of his pitches for strikes. He also made major strides holding runners and fielding his position.

The Future: Neidert's increased velocity and stuff ups his ceiling to a No. 3 or 4 starter. He will begin 2017 at high Class A Modesto.