With the 4th round we move into the take best player available phase of the draft. The Phillies take JoJo Romero out of Yavapi College (same college as Ken Giles). Romero is an athletic leftt handed pitcher with a fastball up to 95. He has a slider, curveball, and changeup. There is some debate on whether the changeup or the slider is the better long term pitch, but he does have the pitches to be a starter. His size and some durability concerns have some thinking he will end up in the bullpen. Overall he reminds me of some of the international arms the Phillies have in their system, and they have had a lot of success with short athletic sstarting pitchers.
More to come…
Update: The changeup has been billed as the better offering from those who have seen him. His command will need some work as well. He is only 19 years old so he will have time to make improvements. It is an uninspiring pick, but there is some stuff to work with here. The fall back is a good left handed reliever.
I had Romero to the Cubs in my last mock undersized lefty who put up big strikeout numbers. 4 pitch guy , Romero just won the JUCO WS
— Jeffmlbdraft (@jeffMLBdraft) June 10, 2016
#Phillies fourth-rounder JoJo Romero has four pitches, none plus but all flash average with an athletic delivery.
— Christopher Crawford (@Crawford_MILB) June 10, 2016
Here's Jojo Romero video. Very athletic, think the changeup will be the best offering eventually. https://t.co/kPoSYS5rOr
— Eric Longenhagen (@longenhagen) June 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/billazbbphotog/status/741330961271427073