Ethan Hankins

Hankins has one of the best fastball in the minors. He could have been the first prep right-hander to go 1-1 had he never hurt his shoulder in 2018. Cleveland gave him an over-slot bonus after selecting him with the 35th overall pick and he was handled carefully after signing. Healthy and well-rested, Hankins was unleashed as a 19-year-old in the New York-Penn League, logging a 59.3 GB%, .174 BAA and 1.06 WHIP in nine outings before a promotion to Low-A. There were some bumps initially, but he finished strong, striking out 18 while allowing one run in 7.1 innings over his final two outings. Walks were the big blemish on his season, but the good far outweighed the bad. He throws three secondary pitches, and improving those offerings while honing his command will top his to-do list over the next couple years. With a workhorse frame (6-foot-6, approx. 220 pounds), he has ace upside if it all comes together.

Hankins had a chance to be the first prep right-hander to ever go 1-1 before he hurt his shoulder, so it was not surprising when he and his agent played hardball with Cleveland after they selected him with the No. 35 overall pick. The two sides eventually came to terms, with Hankins netting an over-slot $2,246,022 bonus. When healthy, Hankins works with a mid-90s fastball with extreme life that has the potential to be a true 80-grade pitch. He has three secondary pitches that will require refinement in the coming years. His athletic 6-foot-6, 200-pound frame is prototypical, but his long levers will lead to a slower developmental journey, as he will need to work on repeating his delivery and controlling his electric arsenal. Hankins logged three innings at the end of the year in the AZL, and the Indians say his shoulder is completely healthy. He will likely be handled with kid gloves this year, but if he is healthy, his per-inning stats could be obscene.