PG Draft Spotlight: Liam Doyle

Isaiah Burrows

Liam Doyle

Position: LHP
Height: 6-2
Weight: 220
College: Tennessee
Class: Junior
Hometown: Derry, New Hampshire

Physical/Delivery

Doyle is every bit of “country strength” as he is filled with lean mass and size from upper to lower. He has thick thighs and hamstrings with a strong upper half and square shoulders. He’s strong and athletic in several facets physically and fills a pro-type body in his 6-foot-2 build. On the bump, Doyle starts off the third base side and compensates just a bit in his delivery bringing a high leg lift into a standard ¾ release and a slight early open. The motion itself can be described as some “herk and jerk” and effort but it’s simply explosive arm speed and he holds his direction so well with how he sets to the side of the rubber. He gets down the slope and repeats very well with such a high octane arsenal. It may be seen as “easy” for this amount of power, but the results far outweigh those who have that “free and easy” delivery.

“Tools”

Doyle arguably has the most explosive stuff in the country. It has a true ride/run type fastball that garners a ton of life up in the zone and plays steep with some sink; he manipulates it so well. It’s a lively offering that is every bit 94-96 mph and 98 mph that gets upwards of 21 inches of IVB and 14 inches of HB from a 5-foot-7 release and a -3.9 Vertical Approach Angle. That is plus-plus type metrics across the board with its trio of velocity and movement profile, and the results are outrageous with a 60-plus percent whiff rate and gaudy 31 percent chase rate. He is missing bats both in and out of the zone with the fastball and it looks the part of a big-league type pitch already with its explosiveness and how quick it gets on you.

The splitter is simply filthy and every bit a plus pitch, killing spin at 1306 and vert with more than 19 inches of arm side at 86-89 mph. It drops like no other and garners a ton of whiff. The slider is another above-average type pitch with big sweeping action and that plays really well to right-handed hitters. It has a sweeper like shape, as the depth can be killed at points the way it comes across. He drops the slot and slows a bit on it but the overall action of the pitch forces consistent chase and he can command it for a strike to both sides. It’s a comfortable out pitch. He also flashed a really hard east-to-west cutter in the 90-92 range that eats at you on the hands, both sides. This is a power mix in every facet, but he commands it at a pretty uniquely high level too. He’s forced just five walks and counting and the overall control profile is high end. He’s taken huge strides in that department, and is living up to a potential frontline starter type ceiling. His gaudy whiff and strikeout rates are amongst the best—if not the best—in the entire class. The stuff should translate at the next level immediately, and his strike throwing ability only increases his ceiling. He repeats and throws strikes and rarely makes many mistakes or spikes. The upside is through the roof.

“Buzz”

Simply put, Doyle is every bit a first rounder at this point and can very well be within the very top picks as he’s been that good. He hasn’t allowed a single earned run to this point and is facing high end Power-4 opponents. The strike throwing ability combined with the bat-missing stuff is amongst the best in the class. He doesn’t get in his own way through walks, and while the outings aren’t super “deep” and the pitch count runs high, he’s looking every bit of the starter right now and holds velocity deep into frames. Doyle checks the boxes you want to see of a high end caliber arm and is firmly within the Top 10 discussion with room to go even higher. He’s performed at an elite level so far with potential for three plus-or-better offerings and one of the best fastballs in the entire class.

Summary

An elite strikeout arm who fills up the zone and rarely issues walks or hard contact, Doyle has been on a meteoric rise and it’s been fun to see. He has high end stuff, misses bats at a high rate and combines it with sustainable command. The upside is through the roof along with a doable floor and a ton of mold to work with.

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