MacKenzie Gore 2017 MLB Draft

MacKenzie Gore | LHP | 185 | 6’1 | L/L | Whiteville (N.C.) HS | East Carolina

Rank: No. 4 in the Top 200 MLB Draft Prospects

Rank: No. 13 in the Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects

Scouting Report: Strikethrowing lefthanders are a hot commodity, and they’re even more valuable when they have velocity and the ability to spin a breaking ball. Gore checks all those boxes and more. He’s an elite athlete on the mound, where he employs a very high kick and long stride off the rubber. He gets deep extension over his front side with his torso consistently landing over his front knee. As Gore grew taller and stronger entering the spring of his senior year, his stuff took a jump. He pitches at 89-93 and can hit 95 or 96 mph with his fastball, showing the ability to get sink on the pitch or cut it in toward righthanded batters or run it away from them. He throws two distinct breaking balls. Gore’s curveball shows plus potential with tight 1-to-7 snap and mid 70s velocity. His slider is also a weapon with more horizontal tilt and more firm velocity, reaching into the low 80s. He flashes feel for his low 80s changeup, which projects as an above-average to plus offering. Gore repeats his unorthodox mechanics well and shows elite control for a high school pitcher. As he gains strength, Gore will look to add stability to his lower half. His mechanics can sometimes give him difficulty getting on top of his curveball, an issue he’ll aim to correct with reps in the low minors. Some evaluators believe Gore is the top high school pitching prospect in the class due to his command of a well-rounded arsenal of pitches.