2. Cade Cavalli | RHP
Cade Cavalli
Born: Aug 14, 1998
Bats: R Throws: R
Ht.: 6'4" Wt.: 226
Drafted/Signed: Oklahoma, 2020 (1st round).
Signed By: Jerad Head
Minors: 7-9 | 3.36 ERA | 175 SO | 60 BB | 124 IP
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BA Grade: 60/High
Track Record: As a 2020 draftee, Cavalli’s minor league debut was delayed to 2021, though he did impress at the Nationals’ alternate training site in 2020 after being drafted 22nd overall out of Oklahoma. Once on the field this year, the righthander wasted no time making a statement, soaring from High-A to Triple-A over the course of the season. Importantly, after battling injuries in college, Cavalli stayed healthy all season and showed his ability to handle a heavy workload. He led the minor leagues with 157 strikeouts.
Scouting Report: Cavalli’s stuff is electric. Over the summer, rival managers in Double-A Northeast voted his the best fastball and breaking ball in the league. His fastball sits 95-97 mph and has touched as high as 100 using an easy, yet powerful delivery. He throws two distinct breaking balls, a power curveball and a slider that is cutterish at times. The latter is used effectively to get off hitters’ barrels. He gets good sink on his changeup, but evaluators are less enthused about that offering. He has a sinker in his arsenal, but it’s a distant fifth pitch. Don’t be fooled by his big frame, either. Cavalli is a plus athlete who fields his position well. He struggled a bit in his short time at Triple-A, but the organization is working with him to get outs in the zone more often, a necessity against mature hitters.
The Future: The Nationals couldn’t have asked for much more out of Cavalli in 2021, and he looks the part of a front-of-the-rotation starter whose arrival will come sooner rather than later.
Scouting Grades
Fastball: 70. Curveball: 55. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 50
