Jordan Marks

Marks has been a terrific strike thrower for South Carolina-Upstate for four years, with a 2.0 BB/9 rate for his career. The Canadian native had a strong 2021 campaign, posting a 2.54 ERA over 15 starts and 95.2 innings, with 101 strikeouts (9.5 K/9) and 20 walks (1.9 BB/9). Listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Marks has a simple, repeatable delivery with a bit of head whack and a balanced finish. He pitches mostly in the 90-94 mph range with his fastball but has been up to 97-98 mph with the pitch this spring. While his fastball is a solid pitch that he can locate to any quadrant of the zone, Marks’ secondary offerings are a bit fringy. He throws a 78-82 mph slider that has moderate shape and depth, but the pitch lacks late or hard biting action and doesn’t feature much tilt. It’s gotten some whiffs against Big South competition, but likely because he spots the pitch well to his glove side and can mirror it well off his fastball more than any direct qualities of the breaking ball itself. Like the rest of his pitches, Marks shows good feel to land a low-80s changeup that is effective down and to his arm side, with good running life out of the zone that’s gotten whiffs against righties and lefties. How those secondaries play against professional hitters will determine how much upside Marks has, but his outstanding command and a fastball that’s gotten into the upper 90s should make him an attractive pick on the second day of the draft.