RADIO
There are no real “flame-throwers” in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation for the upcoming 2016 season, but a lack of speed doesn’t equate to a lack of quality. Alex Wood was a young pitcher on the Braves that the Dodgers targeted via trade, and has since proven to be an effective back end of the rotation starter. At only 25 years old, time is clearly on his side, and in 2016 Wood would like to see his effectiveness reach an all-time high.
Averaging only 89.1 MPH on his sinker, which he uses as his primary pitch, Wood is forced to throw more pitches in the zone. This leads to fewer walks, as he walked only 59 batters in 189.2 IP during the 2015 season. But more strikes thrown mean more opportunities for hard-hit balls. Plenty of pitchers have been extremely effective despite not being able to blow it past hitters. If Wood is able to mix in his off-speed stuff (he also throws a knuckle-curve and circle-change) his strikeout number won’t be very impressive, but his ERA could take a dive into the low threes area. He is an attractive choice for stability to round out your team late in the draft.
