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Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 65 | Control: 40 | Overall: 45Scouts thought Herz had the most live arm among North Carolina high school pitchers in 2019, but his murky signability dropped him to the eighth round. The Cubs surprised other teams when they got him to give up a North Carolina scholarship for $500,000, the equivalent of fourth-round money. He has 272 strikeouts in 177 innings over two full seasons, though he got hammered for an 8.24 ERA after getting to Double-A last July.Herz barely used a changeup as an amateur, but now it's his best pitch, as he sells his low-80s cambio with fastball arm speed before it vanishes at the plate. His heater sits at 91-94 mph and tops out at 96 with late life that keeps it off barrels. He was able to thrive at the lower levels with mainly those two offerings before his inability to land his upper-70s spike curveball caught up to him in Double-A, prompting him to work on a low-80s slider this offseason that fits better with his low arm slot.Herz's extreme crossfire delivery with a long arm swing creates a lot of deception but also compromises his ability to repeat his mechanics and throw strikes. After he walked 33 batters in 31 2/3 Double-A innings, Chicago tried to help him get more directional to the plate, which could lead to improved control -- and also could detract from his stuff. Though the Cubs will continue to develop him as a starter, most evaluators believe he's headed for the bullpen, and he could be a late-inning option if he can learn to locate his pitches better.
As for those two prospects, here is Rizzo’s assessment:On Herz, 22, who reached Class AA with the Cubs: “We see him as a starting pitcher who has three pitches. He’s got an out pitch right now with that change-up. He’s struck out a lot of guys [12.2 per nine innings] in a level that’s a tough level for a 22-year-old. The way our scouts portrayed him on the mound is aggressive, strike-throwing, attacks the hitters. And those are all words I like to hear.”
Saw a couple scouting report that he throws a "Vulcan Changeup"Its a changeup with a ton of downward bite. A lot like a forkball or splitter, but usually slower. I've seen some video of it and it reminds me, a little, of Strasburg's
https://x.com/natsfarm/status/1691968038680039827?s=46&t=Q_qc3R_qyMHAAFvlywNqzQ
5 IP, 1 H, 10K, no runs or BBs. maybe we got something out of trading the best hitter on the market this deadline.
4.0 IP, 0H, 2BB, 6Ks, 0ERNot too shabby...
This could potentially be a Lane Thomas type steal
Coming off Prospect Team of the Week honors, DJ Herz upped the ante with 4 no-hit frames. Acquired in the Jeimer Candelario deal last month, the Nationals' No. 16 prospect has allowed just 2 total hits over 3 straight scoreless outings.
Did ok today per the box score.
Guy, the varsity coach at Terry Sanford High in Fayetteville, N.C., asked the coach next to him if the kid had picked a college. Madison Bumgarner, as it turned out, was a sophomore committed to the University of North Carolina, though he’d never make it to campus. And after watching him pitch, Guy stored Bumgarner’s unconventional, cross-body delivery in the back of his head, a small tidbit that hardly mattered for another decade — until a skinny freshman named DJ Herz came along and threw a similar way....“With Bumgarner, I remembered a lot of people being like: ‘The cross-body is going to tear his arm up, his arm is going to be fried.’ But it was part of his deception and he repeated it the same every time. So with DJ, I didn’t touch his mechanics. What you see now, it’s all natural, all DJ, not a ton has changed.”...But because of the vertical approach angle of his pitches — a product of his unique arm slot — Herz can use his fastball as a swing-and-miss pitch, helping him to 12.94 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023.Since the Nationals acquired him, Herz has a 2.76 ERA in 29⅓ innings for the Class AA Harrisburg Senators. In four of his seven starts entering Friday, he’d pitched at least four innings and allowed zero runs.
Jumpin Jack Flash as his walkout song?
New to the Nats’ system, DJ Herz stands out with crossfire deliveryDougherty:MadBum is the comp.Also working on a slider this year.
