Zack Showalter Stats & Scouting Report

IP	65.667
ERA	2.467
WHIP	1.292
BB/9	4.523
SO/9	13.843

Full name Zachary Bryce Showalter
Born 01/23/2004 in Tampa, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 195 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Wesley Chapel
Drafted in the 11th round (317th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2022 (signed for $440,000).

View Draft Report

Showalter is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound righthander with a close-to-maxed-out frame and an impressive fastball. The pitch sits in the 90-95 mph range and plays up with what scouts have called “elite ride.” He dominated with the pitch during the summer and fall and got loads of swing and miss in the middle and top of the zone against high school hitters. It’s an easy plus fastball projection given the life and velocity of the pitch, though Showalter’s secondaries need more refinement. He throws a slurvy breaking ball in the upper 70s that is below-average and has also infrequently thrown a firm, mid-80s changeup that also needs to improve to get to an average pitch. Showalter throws solid strikes, but his lack of secondaries adds to his reliever risk. He is committed to South Florida.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme.

Track Record: Showalter was a South Florida commit who caught teams’ attention on the 2021 showcase circuit. The Orioles selected him in the 11th round of the 2022 draft and signed him for $440,000. Showalter was dealt to the Cardinals at the 2023 deadline as a part of the Jack Flaherty trade. He spent the 2024 season with Low-A Palm Beach, making 24 appearances and striking out 59 batters over 34.1 innings. He went down with a rotator cuff injury on Aug. 1 and spent the final month and a half on the injured list.

Scouting Report: Showalter looks to be a fully relief prospect at present due to his struggles to stay on the mound and lack of a quality secondary. Showalter’s game is all about his fastball quality, which is plus. The pitch only sat 91-92 mph in 2024 but his outlier 4-foot-6 release height and above-average extension create one of the flattest approach angles in baseball. It’s a low-spin pitch but his ability to backspin it efficiently allows it to eat at the top of the zone. Showalter has a pair of secondaries, a mid-to-high-70s sweeper slider and mid-80s changeup, both of which are poor and do not miss bats. Showalter shows above-average command of his fastball but an inability to land his secondaries.

The Future: Showalter will look to return to health and develop his secondaries. Until then, he’s a long shot lottery ticket.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 30 | Changeup: 30 | Control: 45.
BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Showalter was committed to South Florida but blew up on the showcase circuit in his pre-draft summer. The Orioles selected him in the 11th round and signed him for fifth-round money with a $440,000 bonus. Showalter debuted the following summer in the Florida Complex League and impressed over three appearances before he was promoted to Low-A Delmarva. At the trade deadline he was dealt to the Cardinals as a part of the Jack Flaherty deal, then after one appearance with Palm Beach was placed on the injured list and missed the remainder of the season.

Scouting Report: Showalter is a projectable righthander with unique release characteristics that play up his fastball. He mixes four pitches with a fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. His fastball sits 92-93 mph and touches 95 from a sub-five foot release height that creates deception. Showalter’s four-seam fastball is an above-average pitch that could grade plus with added velocity. His three secondaries are all below-average at the moment with his slider showing the best projection of the trio. Showalter’s strike-throwing is below-average but should develop to fringe-average as he tones down his violent operation.

The Future: Showalter is an intriguing projection righthander with a quality fastball but a wide range of outcomes.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45

Draft Prospects

School: Wesley Chapel (Fla.) HS Committed/Drafted: South Florida
Age At Draft: 18.5
Showalter is a 6-foot-1, 195-pound righthander with a close-to-maxed-out frame and an impressive fastball. The pitch sits in the 90-95 mph range and plays up with what scouts have called “elite ride.” He dominated with the pitch during the summer and fall and got loads of swing and miss in the middle and top of the zone against high school hitters. It’s an easy plus fastball projection given the life and velocity of the pitch, though Showalter’s secondaries need more refinement. He throws a slurvy breaking ball in the upper 70s that is below-average and has also infrequently thrown a firm, mid-80s changeup that also needs to improve to get to an average pitch. Showalter throws solid strikes, but his lack of secondaries adds to his reliever risk. He is committed to South Florida.

Career Transactions

Palm Beach Cardinals activated RHP Zack Showalter from the 7-day injured list.
Palm Beach Cardinals placed RHP Zack Showalter on the 7-day injured list.
Palm Beach Cardinals activated RHP Zack Showalter from the 7-day injured list.
Palm Beach Cardinals placed RHP Zack Showalter on the 7-day injured list.
RHP Zack Showalter assigned to Palm Beach Cardinals from Peoria Chiefs.
RHP Zack Showalter assigned to Palm Beach Cardinals from Peoria Chiefs.
St. Louis Cardinals traded RHP Jack Flaherty to Baltimore Orioles for 2B César Prieto, LHP Drew Rom and RHP Zack Showalter.
St. Louis Cardinals traded RHP Jack Flaherty to Baltimore Orioles for 2B César Prieto, LHP Drew Rom and RHP Zack Showalter.
RHP Zack Showalter assigned to Peoria Chiefs.
RHP Zack Showalter roster status changed by St. Louis Cardinals.
Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Zack Showalter.
RHP Zack Showalter assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from FCL Orioles.
Delmarva Shorebirds activated RHP Zack Showalter.
RHP Zack Showalter assigned to Delmarva Shorebirds from FCL Orioles.