#18 Blayne Enlow
Blayne Enlow is another right-handed pitcher the Minnesota Twins selected in the 2017 Amateur Draft. The Twins selected the 18-year-old pitcher in the 3rd round, a position that was much lower than where he was rated by many scouting websites. MLB Pipeline rated him the No. 29 prospect in the draft. Baseball America and Fangraphs ranked him 33rd.
The Twins had a clear strategy with their draft and had planned to pay over slot to lure Enlow away from Louisiana State University and into the Twins’ minor league system. Scouts were drawn to his 6’4″ 180-pound frame, low 90s fastball which could gain velocity as he matures, and the best-rated curveball of any high school pitcher in the draft with a 2700+ rpm spin rate.
Lance McCullers and others have brought the spotlight back to pitcher’s who rely primarily on a curveball. It would be great if Enlow once he debuts in pro-ball could continue on a trajectory to develop his curveball into an elite pitch while refining the others, and claim a spot in the Twins’ future rotation.