For years, the Cleveland Guardians have taken pride in their ability to find and develop pitchers.
However, a lot can go wrong with prospects.
Scouting and drafting aren’t exact sciences, and sometimes, a team just makes a mistake.
That may have been the case with Chase Mobley.
One insider recently said the righty has taken the biggest fall in the ranking of Guardians’ prospects.
“Chase Mobley, RHP (Preseason: 17 | Midseason: NR),” Tim Stebbins of MLB.com wrote. “The Guardians selected Mobley in the 10th round of the 2024 draft, and the right-hander (who was committed to Florida State) signed for $1.80 million. Mobley stands 6-foot-5 and wields impressive velocity — his fastball has reached the upper 90s — and he only turned 19 on June 5. But he struggled with command after making his pro debut this year. In eight games (including seven starts) in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, he recorded an 8.47 ERA with 18 walks and 25 strikeouts over 17 innings.”
Of course, it’s way too early to give up on Mobley.
There are always some hurdles along the way, and not all players get it together at first.
He may have lost his confidence and his focus, and he needs to find his rhythm.
He wouldn’t be the first pitcher to struggle with control issues, and he won’t be the last.
The Guardians have always been patient with their prospects, sometimes to a fault.
Mobley has shown enough promise to be worth the wait, and the organization might feel that way about him.
Many high-end prospects have looked like a bust and then silenced the critics.
Hopefully, that will be the case with Mobley as well.
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