Jaden Hamm Scouting Report

Jaden Hamm Scouting Report

Background: A Tennessee native, Jaden Hamm was lightly recruited out of high school and played his college ball at Middle Tennessee State. He gained velocity in college and had a solid sophomore season while splitting time between starting and relief. He moved to the rotation full time as a junior, but after a promising start to the season he struggled down the stretch, with elevated walk and hit totals. The Tigers selected him in the 5th round of the 2023 draft, and signed him for about $45,000 under slot.

Physical Description: Hamm is listed at 6-foot-1 and 190 pounds, but his high waist and long legs make him look taller and skinnier. Has room to add 10-20 more pounds of muscle. Unorthodox delivery that has a bit of Nuke Laloosh to it. Begins normally, with a rocker step and a knee lift to mid torso. But then he dips his back shoulder, swings his right arm back toward first base, extends his left leg at a 45-degree angle toward the ground, and points his front shoulder skyward, as though he is preparing to launch the ball out of the stadium — all before firing forward in line to the plate with a near over-the-top arm slot. Despite the unusual look, he is athletic enough to repeat his delivery well.

Fastball: 55

Hamm’s fastball shows pedestrian velocity, usually sitting in the 92-94 MPH range and occasionally touching 96. But the pitch plays above its radar readings and generates swings and misses because of extreme carry through the zone, with 20 inches of induced vertical break on most offerings. Extremely effective at the top of the zone, but can be hit in the lower third.

Curve: 55

Hamm’s curveball pairs very well with his fastball. It sits in the 79-83 MPH and can come in the form of a 12-6 hammer or more of an 11-5 slurve. 

Slider: 40

The slider appears to be a new addition to Hamm’s arsenal, and he uses it sparingly. It sits in the 84-87 MPH range and generally looks like a harder version of his curve, only with much less depth and a bit of glove-side movement.

Changeup: 45

Hamm’s changeup sits in roughly the same 85-86 MPH range as his slider, but it shows a little more promise. It’s currently inconsistent, but his best changeups show solid fade, if not much sink.

Command: 45

Hamm has surprisingly strong command of his arsenal given his unusual mechanics. He throws a lot of strikes, and shows great feel working vertically with his fastball. He’s also adept at dropping his curve into the top of the zone, or burying it in the dirt for whiffs. The command of his slider and changeup lag a bit behind, as does his general feel for working horizontally, but he shows enough flashes to project possible future average command.

Overall: Jaden Hamm is one of the more promising starting pitching prospects in Detroit’s system, but there’s still plenty of development ahead of him. His changeup isn’t consistent enough yet, and his slider may never be more than a show-me offering. There’s #4 starter upside if he can add a tick or two to his fastball and find a more consistent third offering. If that doesn’t materialize he still has promise as a fastball/curveball reliever.