Marlins select Kyle Nicolas with Compensation Round B pick

The Marlins continued Day 2 of the 2020 MLB Draft with yet another arm: hard-throwing right-hander Kyle Nicolas out of Ball State. He’s the third straight pitcher they’ve taken.

School: Ball State

Measurables: 21 years old, 6-foot-4, 225 pounds

Pre-Draft Rankings: No. 68 (Baseball America), No. 60 (MLB Pipeline), No. 43 (2080 Baseball)

Previously Drafted? No

Slot Value: $1,129,700

Twitter: @kylenicolas19

Stats

NCAA career (2018-2020): 5.12 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 174 K in 135.1 IP

Previous Picks

Scouting Report

Baseball America: “Nicolas showed premium stuff last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he reached 97 mph with his fastball and started improving his breaking ball. Strike-throwing was always a concern with Nicolas, however, and he was erratic with Cotuit in spite of his improved stuff...Scouts have said Nicolas simplified his delivery and shortened his stride to get the ball in the zone more frequently during his junior season, which has allowed him to have much more success with a fastball that’s regularly in the 93-96 mph range. He pairs that with a slider in the 85-87 mph range, with solid downward bite. The breaking ball has above-average potential, but Nicolas is still developing a feel for the offering. He’s also shown a changeup, but that’s a distant third pitch to his fastball/slider combination. There are starter/reliever questions with Nicolas thanks to his strike-throwing track record, but he has big stuff, a big frame and some aptitude to make the necessary adjustments.”

MLB Pipeline: “The nephew of former NFL quarterback Todd Blackledge, he throws even harder than former Ball State teammate Drey Jameson, who went 34th overall to the Diamondbacks last June, but he’s not nearly as polished.”