Alex Wells

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #25 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Wells was an all-star in each of his first four minor league seasons, including a 2017 season when he was the Orioles’ minor league pitcher of the year. His 2021 got a late start due to an oblique strain in spring training, and he pitched well at Triple-A in between some big league outings that illustrated the challenges of being a soft-tossing, fly ball pitcher in the AL East.
  
  Scouting Report: Pitching with a fastball that sits in the high 80s is difficult at any level, but Wells showed flashes of being able to locate the pitch well enough to get away with it in the majors. When he stays on the attack, it has pinpoint control in the strike zone where hitters can’t get their best swings off, though his confidence in that attack can waver, leading to walks and bad misses. Wells developed a slider during the 2020 shutdown that gave him a harder breaking ball than his average curve, with the new slider effective in the majors. His changeup has above-average potential, and is necessary against righthanded hitters.
  
  The Future: Without the ability to be a matchup reliever due to his velocity profile, Wells profiles best as a bulk pitcher or No. 5 starter in the majors. He’ll be in the Orioles’ rotation mix in 2022.
  
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #20 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: A $300,000 international signee, Wells has been an all-star at every level in the minors in his four professional seasons. He went back to his native Australia after spring training shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic and did not return for safety reasons this summer, instead opting to work out and pitch in his home country.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' four-seam fastball lives around 88-91 mph, and his plus command allows him to hit his spots inside to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. His changeup has plus potential to give him a swing-and-miss offering. His average curveball was his only breaking ball until he recently began throwing a harder slider to have an offering nearer his fastball in velocity. That pitch progressed well in his remote work. Even if the jump in velocity many have waited for never comes, Wells' command and pitchability mean his success is no fluke.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells is a soft-tossing lefty with a No. 5 starter profile. He'll begin 2021 in Triple-A and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #14 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: For the fourth season of his four professional seasons, Wells made his league's all-star game in 2019, this time in the Double-A Eastern League. He did so by posting a walk rate of 1.6 per nine innings and limiting hard contact.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' velocity has remained consistent, living in the 88-91 mph range. He has an aptitude for pitching in on the hands to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. He also was back to showing the plus command that evaded him a season ago. Hitters have no choice but to swing when Wells lives in the strike zone, and often look bad doing it. Still, there's not much projection left, and while he's flashed an above-average changeup and curveball, neither pitch has taken a major step forward. Wells is looking to further diversify with a slider. His flyball rate could portend issues should the lively ball live on, but he's avoided home runs at an astonishing rate in his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells has always had to prove it at every stop, and his likely assignment to Triple-A Norfolk in 2020 will be all that's left before he gets a shot to be a back-end starter or swingman in the majors.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #20 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: An Australian who signed for $300,000 in 2015, Wells has succeeded at every level since his pro debut in 2016. He won the Jim Palmer minor league pitcher of the year award for the Orioles in 2017, has been an all-star at every level--most recently at high Class A Frederick--and represented the Orioles in the 2018 Futures Game.
  
  Scouting Report: As a pitchability lefthander with a light fastball at 87-91 mph, Wells needs his command to be perfect, which it only was at times this year. At his best, he shows plus command with a feel for three pitches, including a changeup and curveball that each have average potential. There's not much physical projection, but Wells has a simple, repeatable delivery and knows how to pitch with what he has. The concern is that even exceptional command won't be enough at more advanced levels because of Wells lack of any one overpowering pitch.
  
  The Future: Even a tick more velocity would raise Wells' ceiling a bit, but at this point, he is a No. 5 starter or swingman at best. If he can command and get outs at Double-A Bowie in 2019, that outlook could be solidified.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #13 prospect in 2018
  Wells signed for $300,000 as an 18-year-old out of Australia in 2015, and has posted peerless results for the Orioles in his two seasons since coming to the United States. After pitching to a 2.15 ERA with a 0.91 WHIP in the short-season New York-Penn League in 2016, Wells had an identical 0.91 WHIP to go with a 2.38 ERA in 140 innings for low Class A Delmarva in 2017 and walked just 10 batters all season--including none in his last 68 innings. Wells' WHIP was the lowest of any minor league pitcher with at least 20 starts, earning him the organization's Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award. Wells succeeds with a fringe-average fastball that gets swings and misses at 87-92 mph, plus a curveball and changeup that could grade out as average pitches, Wells works quickly and hides the ball well from a smooth delivery that allows his arsenal to jump on hitters. His understanding of how to pitch, especially as someone frequently in the strike zone, improved demonstrably over the course of the season. Wells is expected to bump up to high Class A Frederick, and he'll continue to have to prove it at every level to remain a starter.
• 
  Ranked Baltimore Orioles #25 prospect in 2017
  Wells didn't even discover baseball until he was nine years old growing up in Australia, but Orioles scout Brett Ward saw Wells in an Australian academy and also at the junior national championships and was intrigued. The Orioles signed him at age 18 for $300,000 in Aug. 2015. His twin brother Lachlan, also a lefthander, pitches in the Twins organization after signing in 2014. Wells made his pro debut at short-season Aberdeen in 2016 as the opening-night starter and delivered. His 2.15 ERA ranked third in the New York-Penn League and his 0.91 WHIP topped the circuit. He shows excellent maturity and composure and an advanced feel for pitching, especially for someone who began playing baseball so late in his youth. Wells pounds the strike zone with a fastball that works from 87 -90 mph, and he is not afraid to pitch inside. He changes speeds well with strong command and mixes in his curveball and a solid changeup. One scout noted Wells still needs to gain baseball experience in game situations and learn to read hitters' bats, understandable given his background. Even with that, Wells is in position to advance to low Class A Delmarva in 2017.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked New York-Penn League #20 prospect in 2016
  Wells is the rare prospect from Australia--and the even rarer prospect from Australia whose twin brother also plays professionally. His brother Lachlan Wells, who also is a lefthander, signed with the Twins as an international free agent in August 2014. Alex signed with Orioles a year later. An athletic lefthander from Newcastle, Alex finished first in the NYP with a 0.91 WHIP and third with a 2.15 ERA in his first pro season. He commanded his 87-90 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and could add velocity as he adds to his lean frame. He throws a low-70s, 1-to-7 curveball with good shape but inconsistent bite. It has the potential to be an average offering. Wells also has feel for an 82-84 mph changeup, but he can get on the side of the pitch at times. Wells throws with a clean, repeatable delivery and arm action, and he profiles as a potential back-of-the-rotation starter because of his command and pitch mix.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Wells was an all-star in each of his first four minor league seasons, including a 2017 season when he was the Orioles’ minor league pitcher of the year. His 2021 got a late start due to an oblique strain in spring training, and he pitched well at Triple-A in between some big league outings that illustrated the challenges of being a soft-tossing, fly ball pitcher in the AL East.
  
  Scouting Report: Pitching with a fastball that sits in the high 80s is difficult at any level, but Wells showed flashes of being able to locate the pitch well enough to get away with it in the majors. When he stays on the attack, it has pinpoint control in the strike zone where hitters can’t get their best swings off, though his confidence in that attack can waver, leading to walks and bad misses. Wells developed a slider during the 2020 shutdown that gave him a harder breaking ball than his average curve, with the new slider effective in the majors. His changeup has above-average potential, and is necessary against righthanded hitters.
  
  The Future: Without the ability to be a matchup reliever due to his velocity profile, Wells profiles best as a bulk pitcher or No. 5 starter in the majors. He’ll be in the Orioles’ rotation mix in 2022.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A $300,000 international signee, Wells has been an all-star at every level in the minors in his four professional seasons. He went back to his native Australia after spring training shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic and did not return for safety reasons this summer, instead opting to work out and pitch in his home country.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' four-seam fastball lives around 88-91 mph, and his plus command allows him to hit his spots inside to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. His changeup has plus potential to give him a swing-and-miss offering. His average curveball was his only breaking ball until he recently began throwing a harder slider to have an offering nearer his fastball in velocity. That pitch progressed well in his remote work. Even if the jump in velocity many have waited for never comes, Wells' command and pitchability mean his success is no fluke.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells is a soft-tossing lefty with a No. 5 starter profile. He'll begin 2021 in Triple-A and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A $300,000 international signee, Wells has been an all-star at every level in the minors in his four professional seasons. He went back to his native Australia after spring training shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic and did not return for safety reasons this summer, instead opting to work out and pitch in his home country.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' four-seam fastball lives around 88-91 mph, and his plus command allows him to hit his spots inside to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. His changeup has plus potential to give him a swing-and-miss offering. His average curveball was his only breaking ball until he recently began throwing a harder slider to have an offering nearer his fastball in velocity. That pitch progressed well in his remote work. Even if the jump in velocity many have waited for never comes, Wells' command and pitchability mean his success is no fluke.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells is a soft-tossing lefty with a No. 5 starter profile. He'll begin 2021 in Triple-A and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A $300,000 international signee, Wells has been an all-star at every level in the minors in his four professional seasons. He went back to his native Australia after spring training shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic and did not return for safety reasons this summer, instead opting to work out and pitch in his home country.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' four-seam fastball lives around 88-91 mph, and his plus command allows him to hit his spots inside to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. His changeup has plus potential to give him a swing-and-miss offering. His average curveball was his only breaking ball until he recently began throwing a harder slider to have an offering nearer his fastball in velocity. That pitch progressed well in his remote work. Even if the jump in velocity many have waited for never comes, Wells' command and pitchability mean his success is no fluke.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells is a soft-tossing lefty with a No. 5 starter profile. He'll begin 2021 in Triple-A and has a chance to make his major league debut during the year.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: For the fourth season of his four professional seasons, Wells made his league’s all-star game in 2019, this time in the Double-A Eastern League. He did so by posting a walk rate of 1.6 per nine innings and limiting hard contact.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells’ velocity has remained consistent, living in the 88-91 mph range. He has an aptitude for pitching in on the hands to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. He also was back to showing the plus command that evaded him a season ago. Hitters have no choice but to swing when Wells lives in the strike zone, and often look bad doing it. Still, there’s not much projection left, and while he’s flashed an above-average changeup and curveball, neither pitch has taken a major step forward. Wells is looking to further diversify with a slider. His flyball rate could portend issues should the lively ball live on, but he’s avoided home runs at an astonishing rate in his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells has always had to prove it at every stop, and his likely assignment to Triple-A Norfolk in 2020 will be all that’s left before he gets a shot to be a back-end starter or swingman in the majors. BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 50 Risk: High BA GRADE 45 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: For the fourth season of his four professional seasons, Wells made his league's all-star game in 2019, this time in the Double-A Eastern League. He did so by posting a walk rate of 1.6 per nine innings and limiting hard contact.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Wells' velocity has remained consistent, living in the 88-91 mph range. He has an aptitude for pitching in on the hands to both lefthanded and righthanded batters. He also was back to showing the plus command that evaded him a season ago. Hitters have no choice but to swing when Wells lives in the strike zone, and often look bad doing it. Still, there's not much projection left, and while he's flashed an above-average changeup and curveball, neither pitch has taken a major step forward. Wells is looking to further diversify with a slider. His flyball rate could portend issues should the lively ball live on, but he's avoided home runs at an astonishing rate in his career.
  
  THE FUTURE: Wells has always had to prove it at every stop, and his likely assignment to Triple-A Norfolk in 2020 will be all that's left before he gets a shot to be a back-end starter or swingman in the majors.