Alek Manoah

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #7 prospect in 2021
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50.
  Track Record: Manoah split time between starting and relieving his first two years at West Virginia. He had an outstanding summer in the Cape Cod League in 2018, then carried over that success in 2019 as a junior, propelling him to become the 11th overall pick and sign with the Blue Jays for $4,547,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Manoah is a power pitcher with a gigantic frame. Built like Aaron Harang, Manoah will need to stay on top of his conditioning, but he leverages his size into a high-octane fastball. He sits at 93-96 mph with tailing life and can dial it up to 98. His slider flashes plus and is his putaway pitch. Manoah primarily relied on those two pitches at West Virginia and in the short-season Northwest League, where he continued to rack up strikeouts. His changeup lagged behind and was a developmental priority in 2020 at the alternate training site. It flashes enough movement that it could develop into an average pitch. Manoah is more athletic than his body suggests, which helps him throw strikes, though he does need to tighten his fastball command.
  
  The Future: Manoah has the stuff to develop into a mid-rotation starter with a chance for more. Even with the shutdown, he could be in position to pitch in Toronto by the end of the 2021 season.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #5 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: During his first two seasons at West Virginia, Manoah moved between the starting rotation and the bullpen. After his sophomore year, he had an electric summer in the Cape Cod League, then continued to dominate in his junior year. He was the No. 11 overall pick in 2019, with the Blue Jays signing him for $4,547,500, and he had immediate success in the short-season Northwest League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manoah is enormous. He's built like Aaron Harang, and will have to keep his conditioning in check. He uses that massive frame to produce a huge fastball. It's a lively, running pitch that sits around 93-96 mph and touches 98 mph. When Manoah needs a putaway pitch, he goes to his slider, which flashes plus and gets him swings and misses. Manoah was primarily a two-pitch guy in college, though his changeup has shown average potential. Manoah is more athletic than he looks, with a repertoire and delivery that should allow him to remain a starter. He has improved his strike-throwing over the past year and didn't walk many hitters in college or pro ball in 2019, though he needs to sharpen his fastball command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manoah is trending in the right direction, with the ability to develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter. He should open 2020 at a Class A affiliate with a chance to reach Toronto by 2021.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #13 prospect in 2019 draft
  Manoah split time between starting and relieving during his first two seasons with West Virginia, but after a stellar campaign as a starter in the Cape Cod League last summer--when he posted a 2.70 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 33.1 innings--Manoah has made a successful transition to a full-time starting role this spring. Through his first 12 starts this season, Manoah has been one of the more dominant arms in the country, posting a 2.07 ERA with 108 strikeouts over his first 82.2 innings (11.76 strikeouts per nine innings) and the lowest walk rate (2.29 per nine) of his career. Manoah mostly works off of two pitches--a power fastball that sits in the mid- to upper 90s and a hard slider that projects as a second plus pitch. While Monoah has shown a changeup at times, he's mostly been a two-pitch starter this season. He also entered the season with significant reliever risk because of his erratic control, large, 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and questionable athleticism. However, he has started pitching exclusively out of the stretch and, as a result, has improved his strike-throwing ability enough to give him a real shot of sticking as a starter in pro ball. But while his walk rate is down significantly this season, Manoah still needs to refine his command--as evidenced by 17 hit batters over his first 12 starts--and teams will likely be concerned with how well he is able to manage his body moving forward. This list of major league starting pitchers who have had success at or near Manoah's size is a short one, with CC Sabathia, Aaron Harang, Justin Masterson and Michael Pineda some of the names who qualify. Still, Manoah's stuff compares nicely with most of the pitchers in the 2019 class, and he's steadily improved his draft stock with each start. Manoah should be one of the first college pitchers drafted this June.
• Ranked #349 prospect in 2016 draft
  The younger brother of Erk Manoah, the Mets' 13th-round pick in 2014, Alek Manoah is the much more physical pitcher of the two. Listed at 6-foot-6, 245 pounds, Manoah is an imposing figure on the mound. His physicality comes with a powerful fastball, and he has run his fastball up to 94 mph in short stints. But he wasn't able to do that consistently this spring, more typically pitching in the upper 80s. His best secondary offering is his slider and he also has a nascent changeup. Manoah struggled with his control this spring, and will need to work to smooth out his delivery so he can better repeat it. Manoah is also a powerful hitter and, while professional scouts view him exclusively as a pitcher, he could be a two-way player if he gets to West Virginia, where he is committed.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50.
  Track Record: Manoah split time between starting and relieving his first two years at West Virginia. He had an outstanding summer in the Cape Cod League in 2018, then carried over that success in 2019 as a junior, propelling him to become the 11th overall pick and sign with the Blue Jays for $4,547,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Manoah is a power pitcher with a gigantic frame. Built like Aaron Harang, Manoah will need to stay on top of his conditioning, but he leverages his size into a high-octane fastball. He sits at 93-96 mph with tailing life and can dial it up to 98. His slider flashes plus and is his putaway pitch. Manoah primarily relied on those two pitches at West Virginia and in the short-season Northwest League, where he continued to rack up strikeouts. His changeup lagged behind and was a developmental priority in 2020 at the alternate training site. It flashes enough movement that it could develop into an average pitch. Manoah is more athletic than his body suggests, which helps him throw strikes, though he does need to tighten his fastball command.
  
  The Future: Manoah has the stuff to develop into a mid-rotation starter with a chance for more. Even with the shutdown, he could be in position to pitch in Toronto by the end of the 2021 season.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50.
  Track Record: Manoah split time between starting and relieving his first two years at West Virginia. He had an outstanding summer in the Cape Cod League in 2018, then carried over that success in 2019 as a junior, propelling him to become the 11th overall pick and sign with the Blue Jays for $4,547,500.
  
  Scouting Report: Manoah is a power pitcher with a gigantic frame. Built like Aaron Harang, Manoah will need to stay on top of his conditioning, but he leverages his size into a high-octane fastball. He sits at 93-96 mph with tailing life and can dial it up to 98. His slider flashes plus and is his putaway pitch. Manoah primarily relied on those two pitches at West Virginia and in the short-season Northwest League, where he continued to rack up strikeouts. His changeup lagged behind and was a developmental priority in 2020 at the alternate training site. It flashes enough movement that it could develop into an average pitch. Manoah is more athletic than his body suggests, which helps him throw strikes, though he does need to tighten his fastball command.
  
  The Future: Manoah has the stuff to develop into a mid-rotation starter with a chance for more. Even with the shutdown, he could be in position to pitch in Toronto by the end of the 2021 season.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: During his first two seasons at West Virginia, Manoah moved between the starting rotation and the bullpen. After his sophomore year, he had an electric summer in the Cape Cod League, then continued to dominate in his junior year. He was the No. 11 overall pick in 2019, with the Blue Jays signing him for $4,547,500, and he had immediate success in the short-season Northwest League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manoah is enormous. He’s built like Aaron Harang, and will have to keep his conditioning in check. He uses that massive frame to produce a huge fastball. It’s a lively, running pitch that sits around 93-96 mph and touches 98 mph. When Manoah needs a putaway pitch, he goes to his slider, which flashes plus and gets him swings and misses. Manoah was primarily a two-pitch guy in college, though his changeup has shown average potential. Manoah is more athletic than he looks, with a repertoire and delivery that should allow him to remain a starter. He has improved his strike-throwing over the past year and didn’t walk many hitters in college or pro ball in 2019, though he needs to sharpen his fastball command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manoah is trending in the right direction, with the ability to develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter. He should open 2020 at a Class A affiliate with a chance to reach Toronto by 2021.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: During his first two seasons at West Virginia, Manoah moved between the starting rotation and the bullpen. After his sophomore year, he had an electric summer in the Cape Cod League, then continued to dominate in his junior year. He was the No. 11 overall pick in 2019, with the Blue Jays signing him for $4,547,500, and he had immediate success in the short-season Northwest League.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Manoah is enormous. He's built like Aaron Harang, and will have to keep his conditioning in check. He uses that massive frame to produce a huge fastball. It's a lively, running pitch that sits around 93-96 mph and touches 98 mph. When Manoah needs a putaway pitch, he goes to his slider, which flashes plus and gets him swings and misses. Manoah was primarily a two-pitch guy in college, though his changeup has shown average potential. Manoah is more athletic than he looks, with a repertoire and delivery that should allow him to remain a starter. He has improved his strike-throwing over the past year and didn't walk many hitters in college or pro ball in 2019, though he needs to sharpen his fastball command.
  
  THE FUTURE: Manoah is trending in the right direction, with the ability to develop into a No. 2 or 3 starter. He should open 2020 at a Class A affiliate with a chance to reach Toronto by 2021.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Manoah split time between starting and relieving during his first two seasons with West Virginia, but after a stellar campaign as a starter in the Cape Cod League last summer--when he posted a 2.70 ERA with 48 strikeouts in 33.1 innings--Manoah has made a successful transition to a full-time starting role this spring. Through his first 12 starts this season, Manoah has been one of the more dominant arms in the country, posting a 2.07 ERA with 108 strikeouts over his first 82.2 innings (11.76 strikeouts per nine innings) and the lowest walk rate (2.29 per nine) of his career. Manoah mostly works off of two pitches--a power fastball that sits in the mid- to upper 90s and a hard slider that projects as a second plus pitch. While Monoah has shown a changeup at times, he's mostly been a two-pitch starter this season. He also entered the season with significant reliever risk because of his erratic control, large, 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame and questionable athleticism. However, he has started pitching exclusively out of the stretch and, as a result, has improved his strike-throwing ability enough to give him a real shot of sticking as a starter in pro ball. But while his walk rate is down significantly this season, Manoah still needs to refine his command--as evidenced by 17 hit batters over his first 12 starts--and teams will likely be concerned with how well he is able to manage his body moving forward. This list of major league starting pitchers who have had success at or near Manoah's size is a short one, with CC Sabathia, Aaron Harang, Justin Masterson and Michael Pineda some of the names who qualify. Still, Manoah's stuff compares nicely with most of the pitchers in the 2019 class, and he's steadily improved his draft stock with each start. Manoah should be one of the first college pitchers drafted this June.