2023 Countdown to Spring Training: Mikey Romero and Bryan Mata

Physical Description: Tall, sturdy pitcher's frame. Has filled out considerably since signing, especially in his lower half. High waist and long limbs. Has filled out in his upper half as well. Was listed at 160 pounds when he signed. Returned from Tommy John surgery in very good condition.

Mechanics: Throws from a three-quarters arm slot with effort in his delivery. Very quick arm. Starts on the first base side and does not utilize a wind-up, although he had in the past. Deceptive arm action. Somewhat deliberate going back, then whips arm forward. Arm-heavy delivery, does not do a great job incorporating his lower half, but has gotten better at doing so in recent years. Works fast, which can cause his delivery to get out of whack. Could perhaps stand to slow things down a bit. Release point can get inconsistent and he tends to overthrow at times, especially as he works deeper into games and tires. Needs to improve consistency with his delivery. Because of how quick his arm is, it can get out ahead of the rest of his delivery, causing him to constantly yank the ball glove-side.

Fastball: 94-98 mph. Tops out at 100 mph. Pitch sat 96-97 mph in 2020 in shorter outings at the Alternate Training Site and was still sitting there after he returned from Tommy John in 2022. Added significant velocity in 2018; pitch used to sit 90-92, topping out at 94. Throws two variations, a four-seam at 96-98 mph and two-seam at 94-96 mph. Threw primarily four-seam fastballs in outing scouted in 2022. Still learning to harness that velocity and needs to work on command and control. Fastball shows sink down in the zone and some life when elevated, though it is easier to hit than you would expect given its velocity. Too often, he will lose his delivery and release point and his fastball control will suffer as a result. Still struggles to locate arm-side. Has a tendency to yank his fastball glove-side. Potential plus pitch, but a lot depends on how his command develops.

Slider: 86-90 mph. Added pitch coming into Spring Training 2019. Initially, pitch was longer and looked like a slider at lower velocities and more like cutter when thrown harder. In 2020 looks, pitch had become a more defined slider with sharp, late break. Has really taken to the pitch and improved his feel and confidence in it as he has used it more. Pitch gives him another weapon to throw at hitters in a new velocity band. Pitch will flash plus potential with depth, but has not constantly snapped off in return from Tommy John and the pitch has shown the tendency to roll to the plate. Potential solid-average offering if he can find more consistency with it.

Curveball: 77-79 mph. 11-to-5 break and two-plane movement. When he snaps it off, pitch will show depth. Can throw pitch in the zone and is comfortable doing so. Will often use to steal a strike early in the count, but has shown the ability to backdoor the pitch to left-handed hitters when ahead in the count as well. Will flash more potential, but lack of consistency pulls down grade. Potential average offering.

Changeup: 87-89 mph. Throws with deceptive arm speed. Velocity has increased from 82-83 mph as fastball velocity increased. Pitch is on the firm side, but feel is improving and pitch shows late fade. Has shown the ability to turn the pitch over down in the zone against left-handed hitters on occasion. Potential average-to-better offering, but that grade is fluid.

Career Notes: Expected to sign with the Brewers in July 2015 at the start of the international signing period, but a groin injury derailed that agreement and he rehabbed the injury on his own before signing with the Red Sox in January 2016 for what was likely a much smaller bonus. Impressed at 2016 Fall Instructional League. Fit description of (and likely was) unnamed player whom Red Sox reportedly declined to include in trade talks during 2016-17 offseason. Started the 2017 season in extended spring training before being promoted to Greenville at the end of May. Was promoted aggressively early in his career: was the youngest player in the South Atlantic League in 2017 and in the Carolina League in both 2018 and 2019. Pitched just once after July 10 in 2018 due to a back injury. Missed a month with shoulder soreness in 2019. Pitched at the Alternate Training Site in 2020, suffering a hamstring injury in late August that caused him to miss his last couple of starts. Participated in the 2020 Fall Instructional League. Suffered a slight UCL tear in March 2021 and underwent Tommy John Surgery on April 13, 2021. Participated in the Fall Performance Program in 2021 as a rehabber. Returned to games on a rehab assignment in June 2022 and returned to Portland and was activated at the end of that month. Participated in 2023 Rookie Development Program.

Summation: Projects as a back end starter or multi-inning relief arm with premium stuff to handle a late inning role if necessary. Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Still has a wide range of outcomes as he makes his return from Tommy John surgery. Raw stuff is back, but feel for secondaries and command come and go within outings. Might be able to start, but could be more effective in shorter bursts out of the bullpen. Delivery still has effort and we need to see how his stuff holds up over longer, 5-6-inning stints and when pitching on a consistent starter's schedule. Will show the potential for a true four-pitch mix with two potential plus offerings. Has shown the ability to miss bats with all four pitches at various points in his career. Harnessing command of his arsenal will be key for his development. Injury risk had become a concern even pre-Tommy John surgery, as he last made it through a full season healthy in 2017. Tommy John Surgery in April 2021 clouds future starter profile.