Patrick Forbes

Analysis
Forbes comes with significant bullpen risk, but his stuff has ticked up significantly and he now has one of the best fastballs in the draft. He logged just 38.1 innings his first two years at Louisville but tossed 71.1 frames with a 117:34 K:BB this spring. Forbes' 10.7 percent walk rate, which is a couple percentage points higher than the other college pitchers considered in the first couple rounds, was his career best, and even with all his strikeouts this spring, he only managed a 1.30 WHIP. Forbes' mid-90s fastball has touched 100 mph this spring and his mid-80s slider can be a plus offering at its best. His lack of a quality third pitch or starter-level command make him a long-term project as a starter or a potentially fast mover with closer upside as a reliever.