Nolan Watson Stats & Scouting Report

IP	35.2
ERA	6.81
WHIP	1.49
BB/9	3.28
SO/9	9.59

Full name Nolan Michael Watson
Born 01/25/1997 in Indianapolis, IN
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Lawrence North
Drafted in the 1st round (33rd overall) by the Kansas City Royals in 2015 (signed for $1,825,200).

View Draft Report

Watson was impressive but not overwhelming when scouts and recruiters saw him last summer, but he's taken a significant step forward this spring. He largely sat at 85-88 mph during his junior season and bumped that up to sit in the upper 80s last summer in showcases. This spring he's generally been sitting 90-93 mph with his fastball, touching 96 at his best. He also features a promising low-80s slider and has shown some feel for his developing changeup. His delivery shows no obvious red flags and he's generally around the strike zone. If Watson's stuff had remained at the level he showed last summer, he would likely have been the type of pitcher who heads off to school (Vanderbilt in his case), gets stronger and rockets up draft boards in three years after his stuff sharpens. But Watson's big step forward has happened much more quickly to where he's gone from a projectable righthander with an excellent frame (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) to having present stuff. Now he may go early enough in the draft to consider forgoing his college commitment.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

The Royals emphasized high school pitchers at the top of the 2014 and 2015 drafts, but the strategy has not borne fruit in the early going. Foster Griffin (first round) and Scott Blewett (second) from the 2014 draft have career ERAs hovering near 5.00, while 2015 first-round righties Watson (3-11, 7.57 at low Class A Lexington) and Ashe Russell (just two innings) endured tough 2016 seasons. However, scouts who saw Watson reported fine velocity with a solid-average 92-93 mph fastball that peaked at 95 He struggled to command the pitch and left it elevated too often, leading to a .314 opponent average. Watson also showed a plus slider that he could throw to righties and lefties. One problem is the Royals encourage young pitchers to throw curveballs, so Watson's slider laid mostly dormant. Instead he tried to keep hitters off balance with a curveball and changeup that both graded well below-average. His changeup lacks deception and his curve lacks shape or depth, necessitating Watson to throw many fastballs in fastball counts. Unless Watson dominates in spring training, he seems destined to repeat the South Atlantic League in 2017.
For the second straight year the Royals used their first two picks on high school pitchers. Both times Kansas City paired a riskier, higher-ceiling arm with a more polished strike thrower. The 2015 duo-the more-polished Watson and the harderthrowing Ashe Russell-played down the road from each other in Indianapolis in high school. Watson's stock rose significantly once the Vanderbilt commit's fastball jumped from the 86-88 it was in the summer of 2014 to the 90-93 he showed before the draft. Watson is an extremely advanced pitcher for his age who repeats his delivery and has a present plus fastball. Watson pitched at 90-93 mph and touched 95 in his pro debut and there are scouts who think he'll settle at 92-95 mph. His fastball is a power sinker that lives in the bottom of the zone. The Royals asked Watson to limit the use of his potentially above-average slider in favor of a curveball. Watson took to the new pitch quickly, and could develop into a low-80s power curve in time. Watson's changeup took off in instructional league when he threw it regularly. Watson has a chance to have three average to above-average pitches and at least average control, giving him a shot of being a future No. 3 starter. Watson's feel for pitching impresses as much as his stuff. The Royals may hold him back from low Class A Lexington until May, but he's ready for full-season ball.

Draft Prospects

Watson was impressive but not overwhelming when scouts and recruiters saw him last summer, but he's taken a significant step forward this spring. He largely sat at 85-88 mph during his junior season and bumped that up to sit in the upper 80s last summer in showcases. This spring he's generally been sitting 90-93 mph with his fastball, touching 96 at his best. He also features a promising low-80s slider and has shown some feel for his developing changeup. His delivery shows no obvious red flags and he's generally around the strike zone. If Watson's stuff had remained at the level he showed last summer, he would likely have been the type of pitcher who heads off to school (Vanderbilt in his case), gets stronger and rockets up draft boards in three years after his stuff sharpens. But Watson's big step forward has happened much more quickly to where he's gone from a projectable righthander with an excellent frame (6-foot-3, 195 pounds) to having present stuff. Now he may go early enough in the draft to consider forgoing his college commitment.

Minor League Top Prospects

Watson and fellow Royals first-rounder Ashe Russell played for opposing high schools in the Indianapolis area and bonded over the draft process. Both righthanders made their pro debuts with Burlington. Watson signed for $1.825 million as the 33rd overall pick. Watson has taken a different path than Russell. Entering his senior year, he was a quick-armed, projectable righthander who sate more in the upper 80s. Then, as he gained strength and maturity, he began to fulfill that projection and touched 96 mph in the spring. He continued to show that kind of velocity during the summer in the Appy League. Like many young pitchers, Watson has unrefined offspeed stuff and command. His low-80s slider and changeup show flashes but lack consistency, but the same package of size and stuff that enticed the Royals in June is still present.

Career Transactions

El Paso Chihuahuas transferred RHP Nolan Watson from the 7-day injured list to the 60-day injured list.
El Paso Chihuahuas placed RHP Nolan Watson on the 7-day injured list.
RHP Nolan Watson assigned to San Diego Padres.
RHP Nolan Watson roster status changed by San Diego Padres.