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By Dennis Healy
PBR MA Scouting Director

Jake Nelson, RHP, Andover Academy, 2015

Background

Jake is a native of Hopkington, New Hampshire, and currently attends Phillips Andover Academy in Massachusetts. Jake is an outstanding academic student, who recently committed to the Penn Quakers. He received a great deal of interest from ACC and SEC type schools, but in the end he decided to go the Ivy League route.

Scouting Report

Nelson is a 6-foot-4, right-handed pitcher, who was just recently converted from the catching position. Nelson throws from a high slot with good downhill plane. His fastball is straight but he has run his velocity up to the low 90s at times. His secondary stuff is a work in progress but the day I saw him he showed a small short slider with sharp action up to 80. His changeup feel is going to take some time, but with a high slot he should make some strides with it. Mechanically, he has good feel for his body, showed the ability to repeat his delivery, although there is some effort. I would like to see him smooth out his leg drive and control his shoulder plane better, but with time he should adjust to that. He fits into the bullpen mode relatively early in his career and should be able to win with his fastball. Certainly, with innings and experience, he could become a front-line arm.