Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50 

Though Wolters was an all-area basketball player, he gave up hoops as a senior to focus on getting stronger and training for baseball. That move paid off as he caught the attention of scouts by setting a Super 60 showcase fastball record at 98 mph with consecutive pitches in February, and he has been clocked as high as 99 this spring. His power and physicality have prompted comparisons to fellow Illinois prep product Bobby Miller, now a Top 100 prospect with the Dodgers, though Miller didn't throw nearly this hard in high school.  

After working in the low 90s on the showcase circuit, Wolters now operates at 94-96 mph early in games with good carry up at the letters but less life when he works lower in the strike zone. His slider can run the gamut from a plus breaker in the mid-80s with spin and shape to a less powerful slurve, but it could be at least a solid offering with more consistency. He rarely uses a mid-80s changeup that doesn't feature much movement. 

Gatorade's state player of the year, Wolters has done a good job of harnessing his stuff as it has taken off this year. An athletic 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, he throws strikes and should be able to hold his velocity deeper into contests as he continues to develop. Originally committed to Purdue, he switched to Arizona but is unlikely to get to campus. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 50

Wolters jumped onto the scene his senior year at Mahomet-Seymour (Ill.) HS with more strength and increased velocity. He set a Super 60 showcase record with 98 mph on consecutive pitches in February 2023, and a few months later, the Royals took the Arizona commit in the second round while going over-slot to sign him at $2.8 million. Wolters didn’t pitch in an official game last season, but he was impressive at the Royals’ fall camp and showed up to Spring Training hitting upper-90s on the radar gun.

At 6-foot-4 with a strong frame, Wolters is a physical presence on the mound. His fastball touches 98 mph with good life, but he’ll likely sit 95-96 during starts. He possesses an above-average 82-84 mph slider that has a hard break, landing on both sides of the plate. A big focus for him will be a changeup, like most pitchers his age. He looks the part of a starter -- a mid-rotation arm or better at that -- but will need that third pitch to get there.

Wolters’ delivery is clean, smooth and repeatable. He pitches easy and is incredibly mature for a high school draftee. Officials rave about his mind, how he digests information and prepares, which will take time off his development timeline. The Royals got more aggressive with Wolters than they typically do with prep pitchers, pushing him out to Single-A Columbia in April, and they've been pleased with how he's handled his first full season from there.

Scouting grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45

Though Wolters was an all-area basketball player, he gave up hoops as a senior to focus on getting stronger and training for baseball. That move paid off as he caught the attention of scouts by setting a Super 60 showcase fastball record at 98 mph with consecutive pitches in February, and he has been clocked as high as 99 this spring. His power and physicality have prompted comparisons to fellow Illinois prep product Bobby Miller, recently a Top 100 prospect with the Dodgers, though Miller didn't throw nearly this hard in high school.  

After working in the low 90s on the showcase circuit, Wolters now operates at 94-96 mph early in games with good carry up at the letters but less life when he works lower in the strike zone. His slider can run the gamut from a plus breaker in the mid-80s with spin and shape to a less powerful slurve, but it could be at least a solid offering with more consistency. He rarely uses a mid-80s changeup that doesn't feature much movement. 

Gatorade's state player of the year, Wolters did a good job of harnessing his stuff as it has taken off this year. An athletic 6-foot-4, 215-pounder, he throws strikes and should be able to hold his velocity deeper into contests as he continues to develop.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/05/2024	Columbia Fireflies transferred RHP Blake Wolters to the Development List.
	04/03/2024	RHP Blake Wolters assigned to Columbia Fireflies from ACL Royals.
	03/07/2024	Kansas City Royals Prospects activated RHP Blake Wolters.
	08/10/2023	RHP Blake Wolters roster status changed by ACL Royals.
	08/10/2023	RHP Blake Wolters assigned to Royals Organization.
	07/18/2023	Kansas City Royals signed RHP Blake Wolters.
	07/19/2022	RHP Blake Wolters and assigned to High School Workout.