2022 Prospect Position Rankings: Lefthanded Pitcher

Position Rankings are voted on by Baseball America staff members. Players are listed at their primary positions.

RATING: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

There may not be a bonafide ace among this year’s prospect crop of lefthanded pitchers, but there is a deep group of southpaws with solid mid-rotation potential, with a reasonable chance a few exceed that. Reid Detmers, Nick Lodolo, Aaron Ashby and Matthew Liberatore are among the top 50 prospects in the game and are primed to play significant roles in the majors this year. A return to health from Brailyn Marquez and a return to form from MacKenzie Gore could give this lefthanded pitching crop a pair of potential aces again.

BEST STUFF: D.L. Hall, Orioles

Hall has struggled to stay healthy, but his stuff is electric when he’s on the mound. His fastball averages 97 mph and has touched 100, his plus slider racks up swings and misses and his curveball and changeup are both above-average pitches that get their fair share of whiffs, as well. Hall has to improve his control and stay healthy, but on pure stuff, he’s hard to beat.

BEST CONTROL: Nick Lodolo, Reds

Since entering pro ball in 2019, Lodolo has 108 strikeouts and just 11 walks in 69 career innings. The lanky lefty fills up the strike zone with five pitches, hits his spots in all parts of the strike zone with “outlier” command and stays off of barrels with his precise control. He has an athletic, repeatable delivery and already has at least plus control, with a chance to grow into more. 

SLEEPER: D.J. Herz, Cubs

A three-sport athlete in high school, Herz has improved rapidly now that he’s focused solely on baseball. His 92-95 mph fastball gets on batters quickly out of his deceptive, crossfire delivery, his changeup has become a borderline plus-plus pitch that drops out at the bottom of the strike zone and his curveball and slider have each shown flashes of being out pitches. His control is below-average, but it is slowly improving and shows enough promise for him to potentially be a hard-throwing, No. 4 starter.