Nick Lodolo, LHP - 2019 1st round pick, 7th overall

[JFLegal]

At 6'6" 185 he is sort of a bean pole.

he's closer to 205 now. some services list him at 205. others still use his weight entering his freshman year at TCU (185).

[Edd Roush]

Good sign, this comment from Williams.

Dayton, I suspect, for the second half of the season.

(At 91 innings, they may limit him some, but he's old enough to get another 50 - 60 IP and not have it impact him. Were I the man in charge, I'd be tempted to keep him on the weekly collegiate start he's used to.)

You want him to go from 77 to 140 or 150 innings? Seems way to steep for me.

[RedTeamGo!]

Helps move some tickets in Montana.

Could not care less about ticket sales in Billings.

[TRF]

I'd actually place him in Daytona. 3rd year college starter, pitching friendly environment. Dayton doesn't need the ticket sales, that's for sure. I'd give him 8-10 starts and then let him soak in the season. After I shut him down, bring him to Cincinnati, meet the team, work out with the pitchers etc. Then after 2 full months+ maybe the AFL.

I'd coddle him aggressively and challenge him gently.

[Bourgeois Zee]

You want him to go from 77 to 140 or 150 innings? Seems way to steep for me.

Under care from a professional staff? Yeah, I'm fine with it.

[HokieRed]

Could not care less about ticket sales in Billings.

So the attitude is that fans in your minor league affiliated cities never get to see the best prospects. That's really good for relations between the managements.

[membengal]

This quote from The Athletic article on the pick is why I am pretty pumped:

Saarloos, who pitched for the Reds in 2007, said the decision proved to be the right one for Lodolo. Not only did he mature physically with the added weight, but also his pitching.

“He’s still projectable, which is the craziest thing ever,” Saarloos said. “Usually when you get a guy that’s No. 7 overall and has the stuff that he has, you figure he’s almost reached his ceiling, but I feel like his floor is what he is now and his ceiling is through the roof.”

[membengal]

Jeff Wallner
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Lodolo most likely is going to start in High-A. “He’s an advanced college pitcher,” Dick Williams said. “I would expect him to skip some of the rookie levels and move pretty quick.” #Reds

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Jeff Wallner
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Biggest thing for Lodolo was his physical development at TCU. He gained 30 pounds and life on his fastball in three years of college. "I was an absolute string-bean (coming out of high school)," he said. Lodolo is 6-6, 205. #Reds

[RedTeamGo!]

So the attitude is that fans in your minor league affiliated cities never get to see the best prospects. That's really good for relations between the managements.

Could not care less.

[M2]

So the attitude is that fans in your minor league affiliated cities never get to see the best prospects. That's really good for relations between the managements.

Rookie leagues are a waste of time for elite college players. I get why the affiliates want a turn with the show pony, but you've got to recognize development takes precedence.

[Kingspoint]

Good sign, this comment from Williams.

Dayton, I suspect, for the second half of the season.

(At 91 innings, they may limit him some, but he's old enough to get another 50 - 60 IP and not have it impact him. Were I the man in charge, I'd be tempted to keep him on the weekly collegiate start he's used to.)

They can go two routes, but first come the extremely detailed medical tests and evaluations which could play a huge part for many reasons.

What do they want him to work on this Summer?

What do they want him to work on this Winter?

What do they want him to work on next Spring?

What do they want him to work on next season?

The two routes:

Stretch him out for pitches-per-start.

Stretch him out for pitches-per-baseball season.

I'm guessing they'll work on the latter before the former.

I'm guessing they'll stick to the 30-rule, too. The 60 innings increase by the end of next baseball season places him right at the spot where most Starting Pitchers are at right now who work every five days in the Minors. That sets him up to where he's ahead of where most Starting Pitchers who are regulars in the Majors by the start of the 2021 season.

[bucksfan2]

“He’s still projectable, which is the craziest thing ever,” Saarloos said. “Usually when you get a guy that’s No. 7 overall and has the stuff that he has, you figure he’s almost reached his ceiling, but I feel like his floor is what he is now and his ceiling is through the roof.”

Some on MLB TV's draft coverage said something similar to this. That said, if he still is projectable, and still can grow as a pitcher, I am fine with him taking a little bit longer if he improves as a pitcher. I want to see him with the best pitching coach who can develop his skills. And to be honest, I have no idea where that is.

[757690]

Could not care less.

If you’re a Reds fan, you should care. Developing positive relations with your minor league affiliates pays big dividends in the end.

That said, having Lodolo skip Billings should have little effect on the relationship between Billings and the Reds, and there is no reason development wise he should play there.

[HammerTime]

So where does this put him on the Reds prospect list? Top 8? Top 5?

[Tom Servo]

So where does this put him on the Reds prospect list? Top 8? Top 5?

Top 5