Colorado Rockies 2020 MLB Draft Profile: LHP Reid Detmers

Welcome to the DNVR Rockies MLB Draft 2020 Preview Series where we profile individuals we think make the most sense for Colorado to target on Wednesday, June 10, 5:00 MT. We will have full live coverage on Facebook, Twitch, Twitter, and YouTube.

If you are weary of taking risks in a draft where there are more unknowns than in any other sport, and if you are of the mind that the Colorado Rockies must target pitching first and foremost in any long-term building plans, then Reid Detmers should be your guy.

The left-hander from Louisville stands at 6’2″, 210 lbs, and has yet to reach 21 years of age, making him one of the younger college arms available. His sturdy frame already looks like one that belongs in MLB and it may not take too long for him to get there.

Detmers is most known for his strike-throwing ability. Most interesting about his profile to this point is that, as someone who works heavily in the zone, he still managed to rack up a decent amount of strikeouts at Louisville. He set the school’s record with 167 Ks over his final full season in 2019. And in the last four games he has pitched to date, he put up an insane 19.6 K/9 rate.

Concerns

There are questions about whether or not his “stuff” will be elite enough to achieve the same kind of results as he faces off against better competition. He lacks overpowering velocity with the fastball topping out in the low 90s. This has some scouts drawing comparisons to fellow lefty Drew Pomeranz; Rockies fans could have a bit of PTSD over that comp.

Furthermore, you can see some clear similarities between this profile and that of less bothersome former purple pitcher.

A first-round pick from nearly a decade ago who managed to make the majors, Tyler Anderson provided some value for Colorado, but a lack of elite pitches ultimately ended his time with the club. We’ve also seen examples on the other side of taking the more high-end but risky talent with Riley Pint a few years ago.

Detmers is projected to have a middle-of-the-rotation ceiling. He isn’t expected to be the kind of impact pitcher that Jon Gray was when drafted in 2013. This would be closer to a Kyle Freeland type of pick, minus the comfort of knowing he can pitch at altitude.

This one will require the Rockies to do their due diligence on the scouting side. With the 9th overall pick, they will have their choice of a veritable glut of talent and Detmers is likely to be one of the least exciting players left on the board.

However, he is also the player who is the best bet to help them where they need it most – on the mound – and to do so more quickly than any other reinforcement they are likely to acquire with this pick.