Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

It’s been a long while since a Maryland high school player has been taken in the top five rounds, with outfielder Troy Stokes Jr. the most recent as a fourth-round pick of the Brewers in 2014. You have to go back to 2005 and third-rounder Brandon Erbe to find a prep pitcher from the Old Line State taken that early. Heubeck, a right-hander considered to be the best high school player in Maryland in the 2021 Draft class, has the chance to break that long drought after a senior season that was capped by him being named Gatorade’s state high school player of the year.

There’s some excellent present stuff the Wake Forest recruit brings to the mound, starting with a fastball that typically resides in the 90-94 mph range. He backs it up with a plus breaking ball and does a very nice job of coming up in the zone with the heater, then burying the 12-to-6 curve down on hitters. He doesn’t need it much against the competition he’s facing, but he does show a solid feel for a changeup that could eventually give him a third above-average pitch.

Heubeck can throw a lot of strikes with a clean arm action and athletic delivery. He has a very slender 6-foot-3 frame, with some scouts believing he’s going to throw harder as he matures and others worrying that he has the kind of frame that won’t allow him to add too much good weight. The team that sees the most projection in his already-solid combination of stuff and feel for pitching will be the one to take him off the board early.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40 | Overall: 40

Gatorade's 2021 Maryland high school player of the year, Heubeck had one of the top curveballs and some of the best polish in that year's prep class. He went in the third round, making him the Old Line State's earliest high school pitcher taken since 2005, and gave up a Wake Forest commitment to sign for an over-slot $1,269,500. While he recorded a 6.21 ERA in his first two full pro seasons, he improved his stuff and the Dodgers believe he could be on the verge of a breakout.

Heubeck still has a plus downer curveball in the upper 70s, and now he has a solid fastball and slider to go with it. His fastball gained a couple of ticks in velocity in 2023, sitting at 92-95 mph and touching 87 with quality induced break. He added a mid-80s slider last spring and it gets swings-and-misses from both lefties and righties.

Heubeck is gaining more feel for his mid-80s changeup as he uses it more often, and it features both fade and sink. Though he has a clean arm action and athletic delivery, he has struggled to harness his upgraded repertoire and falls into the trap of chasing spin more than strikes. He'll need more time to develop then initially anticipated, but the payoff could be a mid-rotation starter.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 40 

Gatorade's 2021 Maryland high school player of the year, Heubeck led Gilman School (Baltimore) to the state Class A championship by striking out 15 in a complete-game win in the semifinals and saving the clincher. The Dodgers made him the state's highest prep pitcher pick since 2005, taking him in the third round and signing him away from Wake Forest for an over-slot $1,269,500. Though he was considered more advanced than most high school arms, he struggled in his full-season debut last year, compiling a 7.39 ERA in Single-A. 

Heubeck is best known for a plus curveball in the upper 70s with downer break, and Los Angeles is trying to help him refine his other offerings. His fastball sat at 91-93 mph and topped out at 95 in 2022, standing out more for its quality induced vertical break than its velocity, though he worked in the mid-90s more often this spring. He has added a power slider that reaches the upper 80s and plays well off his curve, and he has some feel for a low-80s changeup that fades and sinks. 

Though Heubeck has a clean arm action and athletic delivery that should allow him to fill the strike zone, he walked 25 in 31 2/3 innings last season and got knocked around when he didn't command his fastball. He did focus on adding strength during the offseason, which should help him with his control and command. He may not progress as quickly as initially expected, but the Dodgers are encouraged by the signs he's showing of becoming a four-pitch starter. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40 

Heubeck earned Gatorade's 2021 Maryland high school player of the year award after leading Gilman School (Baltimore) to the state Class A title, fanning 15 in a complete-game victory in the semifinals and saving the finale. The Dodgers drafted him in the third round, making him the Old Line State's highest prep pitcher pick since 2005, and signed him away from a Wake Forest commitment for an over-slot $1,269,500. He quickly stood out with his aptitude during his four-inning pro debut and in instructional league, with one club official describing him as "plug and play." 

Heubeck already possesses a plus curveball with upper-70s velocity and legitimate 12-6 break. It plays well off his fastball, which sits at 90-93 mph and tops out at 95 with good induced vertical break and carry up in the strike zone. He also shows promising feel for a low-80s changeup with some fade and sink. 

With a clean arm action and athletic delivery, Heubeck should provide at least average control. His strike-throwing and velocity should improve as he adds some much-needed strength to his skinny 6-foot-3 frame. A potential No. 3 or 4 starter, he could move through the Minors more quickly than most high school pitchers.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Gatorade's 2021 Maryland high school player of the year, Heubeck led Gilman School (Baltimore) to the state Class A championship by striking out 15 in a complete-game victory in the semifinals and saving the finale. The Dodgers selected him in the third round, making him the first Maryland prep pitcher taken that early since Orioles third-rounder Brandon Erbe in 2005. Heubeck gave up a Wake Forest commitment to sign for an over-slot $1,269,500.

Heubeck's best present pitch is an upper-70s curveball with legitimate 12-6 break. It's a plus offering and his fastball could be as well once he packs more muscle onto his 6-foot-3 frame. He already works at 90-93 mph and tops out at 95 with good induced vertical break and riding action up in the strike zone, and his heater and curve play well off each other.

Heubeck also shows encouraging feel for a low-80s changeup with some fade and sink. With a clean arm action and athletic delivery, he improved his control this spring and should continue to do so as he adds more strength. He'll need some time to develop but has the upside of a mid-rotation starter.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/14/2024	Great Lakes Loons activated RHP Peter Heubeck.
	07/01/2024	Great Lakes Loons transferred RHP Peter Heubeck to the Development List.
	08/04/2023	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to Great Lakes Loons from Rancho Cucamonga Quakes.
	04/26/2023	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes activated RHP Peter Heubeck from the temporarily inactive list.
	04/22/2023	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes placed RHP Peter Heubeck on the temporarily inactive list.
	07/04/2022	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes activated RHP Peter Heubeck.
	06/17/2022	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes transferred RHP Peter Heubeck to the Development List.
	05/31/2022	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to Rancho Cucamonga Quakes from ACL Dodgers.
	09/07/2021	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to ACL Dodgers from Dodgers Organization.
	08/17/2021	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to Dodgers Organization.
	07/28/2021	Los Angeles Dodgers signed RHP Peter Heubeck.
	07/05/2021	RHP Peter Heubeck and assigned to College Workout.
	06/17/2020	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to PG National 6 - Maroon.
	06/17/2020	RHP Peter Heubeck assigned to PG National 6 - Maroon.