Marlins select Zach McCambley with third-round draft pick

Sensing a theme here? The Marlins continued Day 2 of the 2020 MLB Draft with right-hander Zach McCambley as their third-rounder. It’ll be fascinating to follow his progress.

McCambley grew up idolizing Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, who’s now the Marlins CEO (h/t Melissa Lockhard, The Athletic). That certainly suggests signability won’t be a problem.

Here’s how he explains the secret to his signature curveball:

“I hold the ball on all of my pitches really far back in my hand. I’ve had the same curveball grip since I was 13. My dad wouldn’t let me throw a curveball until I was out of Little League, which I’m pretty thankful for. I’ve pretty much kept the same grip my whole life. I really haven’t changed it at all. Maybe a little different thumb placement here and there. But I really think it’s a natural thing for me and it’s the one thing that makes me effective as a pitcher.”

School: Coastal Carolina

Measurables: 21 years old, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds

Pre-Draft Rankings: No. 78 (Baseball America), No. 80 (MLB Pipeline), No. 72 (2080 Baseball)

Previously Drafted? No

Slot Value: $831,100

Twitter: @ZachhhMccambley

Stats

NCAA career (2018-2020): 3.89 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 158 K in 141.0 IP

Previous Picks

Scouting Report

Baseball America: “Last summer, McCambley made five starts in the Cape Cod League to great success, posting a 1.74 ERA over 20.2 innings while striking out 24 and walking seven. He has steadily improved his fastball control over his three years at Coastal...Coaches and evaluators have always wanted to see more out of McCambley’s changeup. Without a three-pitch mix, scouts wonder if relieving at the next level is more realistic. A fast, upbeat tempo on the mound adds to those concerns. While McCambley’s delivery isn’t what teams typically look for in a starter, he’s thrown enough strikes to give himself at least a chance to start, with more than enough stuff to fallback into a reliever role.”

MLB Pipeline: “McCambley appeals to teams that love high spin rates, which he has on both his curveball and fastball. He owns one of the better curves in his Draft class, with his low-80s bender diving hard at the plate and earning well above-average grades at times. It plays well off his 90-94 mph heater that tops out at 96 and features riding action.”