Johan Oviedo Stats & Scouting Report — College Baseball, MLB Draft, Prospects
TRACK RECORD: Oviedo had an excellent spring training and was ticketed for the alternate training site, but he was forced into emergency duty in the Cardinals’ rotation after the teamwide coronavirus outbreak decimated their pitching staff. Oviedo wasn’t quite ready and got hit hard. He also had a stint on the injured list after being exposed to someone who tested positive for Covid-19.
SCOUTING REPORT: The 6-foot-6 Oviedo has long arms, excellent extension and two above-average to plus pitches. His fastball sits at 94-95 mph and has touched 98, and his slider sits in the mid-80s with bite to draw swings and misses. Oviedo is a long-limbed pitcher still learning to harness his body and has below-average command and control. The result was his fastball got too much of the plate and he often fell behind hitters, rendering him unable to bury his slider as a chase pitch in strikeout situations. Oviedo’s average curveball with 11-to-5 shape proved better than expected in the majors. His changeup shows deception and drop but is inconsistent.
THE FUTURE: Oviedo is still developing and has a chance to be a back-of-the-rotation starter. He’ll return to the minors in 2021 and could re-emerge in the majors at some point during the year.
