Adam Maier

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Atlanta Braves #17 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Maier was one of the most heavily anticipated college pitchers in the 2022 class after a stellar 25.2 innings in the Cape Cod League in 2021. He transferred from British Columbia to Oregon for the 2022 season and stepped into the team's Friday night role but threw just 15.2 innings before his season ended with an elbow injury. Maier didn't have Tommy John surgery; instead, he had a brace surgery to stabilize his ulnar collateral ligament and the Braves signed him for $1.2 million in the seventh round.
  
  Scouting Report: As his price tag likely suggests, Maier flashed exciting pure stuff when healthy. He generated almost a 70% groundball rate with a sinking, low-90s fastball that touched 97 mph at peak, and he has a pair of secondaries that have plus potential. The first is a high-spin slider in the low 80s that gets to 2,900 rpm and both misses bats and generates weak, groundball contact. The second is a mid-80s changeup with impressive run and tumbling action that he did a nice job keeping at the bottom of the zone. Maier's stuff could play up thanks to a lower-than-average release point and he has been a solid strike-thrower in his admittedly brief college career--just 34.2 total innings between British Columbia, the Cape and Oregon.
  
  The Future: Given the timeline of Maier's injury, he has a chance to start his pro career early in 2023. As a Canadian-born player who began college early, he will be in just his age-21 season.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #154 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Oregon Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 20.7
  BA Grade: 45/Extreme
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 45 | Cutter: | Control: 55
  Maier’s on-field resume is quite thin, largely through conditions outside of his control, but his stuff is some of the best in the draft class. A North Vancouver, B.C. native, Maier has thrown just 60 innings in three seasons of college ball, barely more than the 58 innings he threw as a high school senior. As a freshman two-way player (outfielder/pitcher) for B.C. in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season he threw 19 innings. The school’s 2021 season was canceled for coronavirus. He impressed scouts in 25.2 innings in the Cape Cod League, then transferred to Oregon, where he became the team’s 2022 Friday starter. After just 15.2 innings, Maier injured his elbow in his third start of the season and eventually had brace surgery to stabilize his UCL. When healthy, Maier flashes three pitches that could end up being plus, all from a lower-than-normal arm slot. His 2,900 rpm slider is a plus pitch that could end up being a plus-plus offering. He has shown he can throw it for strikes. It misses plenty of bats, but those who do hit it usually beat it into the ground. His mid-80s changeup with significant run and tumble could end up being an even better pitch. His 92-94 mph two-seam fastball generates bushels of sink, making it a ground ball machine. Maier has yet to have the results to match his stuff, but his stuff is worth a second look.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Maier was one of the most heavily anticipated college pitchers in the 2022 class after a stellar 25.2 innings in the Cape Cod League in 2021. He transferred from British Columbia to Oregon for the 2022 season and stepped into the team's Friday night role but threw just 15.2 innings before his season ended with an elbow injury. Maier didn't have Tommy John surgery; instead, he had a brace surgery to stabilize his ulnar collateral ligament and the Braves signed him for $1.2 million in the seventh round.
  
  Scouting Report: As his price tag likely suggests, Maier flashed exciting pure stuff when healthy. He generated almost a 70% groundball rate with a sinking, low-90s fastball that touched 97 mph at peak, and he has a pair of secondaries that have plus potential. The first is a high-spin slider in the low 80s that gets to 2,900 rpm and both misses bats and generates weak, groundball contact. The second is a mid-80s changeup with impressive run and tumbling action that he did a nice job keeping at the bottom of the zone. Maier's stuff could play up thanks to a lower-than-average release point and he has been a solid strike-thrower in his admittedly brief college career--just 34.2 total innings between British Columbia, the Cape and Oregon.
  
  The Future: Given the timeline of Maier's injury, he has a chance to start his pro career early in 2023. As a Canadian-born player who began college early, he will be in just his age-21 season.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/High
  
  Track Record: Maier was one of the most heavily anticipated college pitchers in the 2022 class after a stellar 25.2 innings in the Cape Cod League in 2021. He transferred from British Columbia to Oregon for the 2022 season and stepped into the team's Friday night role but threw just 15.2 innings before his season ended with an elbow injury. Maier didn't have Tommy John surgery; instead, he had a brace surgery to stabilize his ulnar collateral ligament and the Braves signed him for $1.2 million in the seventh round.
  
  Scouting Report: As his price tag likely suggests, Maier flashed exciting pure stuff when healthy. He generated almost a 70% groundball rate with a sinking, low-90s fastball that touched 97 mph at peak, and he has a pair of secondaries that have plus potential. The first is a high-spin slider in the low 80s that gets to 2,900 rpm and both misses bats and generates weak, groundball contact. The second is a mid-80s changeup with impressive run and tumbling action that he did a nice job keeping at the bottom of the zone. Maier's stuff could play up thanks to a lower-than-average release point and he has been a solid strike-thrower in his admittedly brief college career--just 34.2 total innings between British Columbia, the Cape and Oregon.
  
  The Future: Given the timeline of Maier's injury, he has a chance to start his pro career early in 2023. As a Canadian-born player who began college early, he will be in just his age-21 season.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/Extreme
  
  August Update: Maier&#39s on-field resume is quite thin, largely through conditions outside of his control, but his stuff is some of the best in the draft class. A North Vancouver, B.C. native, Maier has thrown just 60 innings in three seasons of college ball, barely more than the 58 innings he threw as a high school senior. As a freshman two-way player (outfielder/pitcher) for B.C. in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season he threw 19 innings. The school&#39s 2021 season was canceled for coronavirus. He impressed scouts in 25.2 innings in the Cape Cod League, then transferred to Oregon, where he became the team&#39s 2022 Friday starter. After just 15.2 innings, Maier injured his elbow in his third start of the season and eventually had brace surgery to stabilize his UCL. When healthy, Maier flashes three pitches that could end up being plus, all from a lower-than-normal arm slot. His 2,900 rpm slider is a plus pitch that could end up being a plus-plus offering. He has shown he can throw it for strikes. It misses plenty of bats, but those who do hit it usually beat it into the ground. His mid-80s changeup with significant run and tumble could end up being an even better pitch. His 92-94 mph two-seam fastball generates bushels of sink, making it a ground ball machine. Maier has yet to have the results to match his stuff, but his stuff is worth a second look.