Bryan Balzer

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Diego Padres #27 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Adjusted Grade: 30
  
  Track Record: Born and raised in Japan, Balzer signed out of high school outside Tokyo for a modest $10,000 in January 2023. Upon signing, he had Tommy John surgery and did not make his pro debut until 2024. Balzer managed his first fully healthy pro season in 2025 and posted a 7.92 ERA with 49 strikeouts to 28 walks across 50 innings with Low-A Lake Elsinore.
  
  Scouting Report: Balzer is an athletic 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthander who pitches exclusively out of the stretch and attacks out of a slightly lowered three-quarters slot. He relies heavily on his sinker/slider combination, though he’ll also mix in an occasional changeup. Balzer’s sinker has been up into the mid 90s, and it flashes plenty of armside run and sink. It darts and dives away from lefthanded hitters and bears in on the hands of righties, though it didn’t miss a lot of bats in 2025 and got hit around. His command is spotty, which caused him to leave his heater out over the middle of the plate. Balzer’s low-to-mid-80s slider is without a doubt his best pitch. It flashes plus with sharp lateral break and plenty of length, and is especially a weapon against righthanded hitters given its shape and Balzer’s arm slot. He rounds out his arsenal with a seldom-used split-changeup that will flash natural fade and a bit of tumble, though it’s a distant third pitch. He’ll need to work hard to add a viable third offering and show he can get lefthanded hitters out in order to stick as a starter.
  
  The Future: Balzer is an athletic mover and a low-mileage arm with no shortage of upside, but there are questions about whether he’ll reach his ceiling. His scattershot command and lack of arsenal depth could eventually lead him to a bullpen role.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Curveball: - | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45