Major League Debut: DL Hall

The first O's rookie to be thrown into a playoff race since Trey Mancini in 2016

Welcome to Warning Track Power, a weekly newsletter of baseball stories and analysis grounded in front office and scouting experiences and the personalities encountered along the way.

---

The Orioles, who wake up in sole possession of the final AL Wild Card spot this morning, announced yesterday that pitching prospect DL Hall would make his big league debut today against the Tampa Bay Rays.

It’s another momentous occasion in this O’s season that is suddenly full of surprises.

Like I mentioned in yesterday’s piece — was that really only yesterday? — some significant building (or rebuilding) blocks were left behind by former GM Dan Duquette. Hall is one of them.

Scouting Report

I saw Hall throw two innings in Instructional League in 2017, four months after the Orioles used their first-round pick (21st overall) to select the left-hander out of Valdosta High School in Georgia.

I graded him as a future role 6, signifying that he’d become an above-average Major Leaguer, in this case a solid #3 starter in the rotation.

Courtesy of the Baltimore Orioles

During that one outing in Instructs, his fastball sat between 92-94 MPH. These days, his heater registers between 96-98 routinely and has touched 100. I remember being reluctant to project too much of a velocity increase, even though he had the clean arm action and body to dream on.

I was certainly light with what I thought his fastball could become. I’m curious to see how his command and control are in his debut. His walk rates have been dangerously high throughout his minor league career. (On a positive note, his K-rates have been very high as well.)

When it came to his secondary pitches, I was impressed with his feel for a changeup at such a young age. Dominant high school pitchers generally don’t need a change to handle their peers. Hall, back in October 2017, showed signs that a plus changeup was in his future.

He now throws both a slider and curveball, but only showed a curve around 77-79 MPH when I saw him. Like his changeup, there were signs that the breaking ball could be developed into a solid Major League offering. His curve had good rotation and shape.

I’m curious to see what his repertoire looks like now compared to what it was when he was still a teenager.

Here’s how I summarized him back then:

A lot to like. Signs of 3 solid-to-plus ML pitches. Athletic, easy operator w/clean arm at three-quarters (or slightly lower) slot, full extension in back & out front. Finishes x-over at times but in control. Advanced feel for CB w/makings of plus rotation, presently 35 type, real chance to become plus. Good kill to CH. Won’t take long to progress.

If you have any questions about any of that, feel free to ask.

The Journey

While I read that Hall became serious about conditioning after a couple years of pro ball, what we don’t know is how an overhaul of the Orioles player development staff might have impacted him. Again, the previous regime deserves credit for identifying Hall and signing him.

Mike Elias and his staff also deserve credit for graduating Hall to the big leagues.

It’s worth mentioning that current Orioles scouting director Brad Ciolek was a member of the scouting department under Duquette. He probably knows better than anyone how the development path of Hall — and others like John Means, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, and Austin Hays — changed under new leadership.

---

Warning Track Power is a reader-supported newsletter. Free and paid versions are available. The best way to support independent baseball journalism is by taking out a paid subscription. There’s plenty more baseball to talk about here, and I hope you’ll join us.

---

Injuries have impeded Hall’s development, most notably a stress reaction in his throwing elbow that kept him off the field for much of last year. He only threw 31 innings last year, and he’s logged 77 already this season.

I don’t know what his innings limit is for 2022, but I’d be surprised if the lefty was permitted to throw more than four innings in his debut.

Hall threw a season-high six innings in a dominant start against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (the Triple-A affiliate of the Marlins) last month; he struck out 14 and only walked two batters in that outing.

Familiar Facemask

With all the nerves and adrenaline that Hall will have to control and channel tomorrow, it will be to his advantage to have a familiar teammate putting down the fingers for him.

Adley Rutschman caught six of Hall’s seven starts at Bowie last season, and he was behind the plate for Hall’s first four starts this season. I’m excited to see Rutschman in a mentoring role to his pitcher. It’s an incredible opportunity for the young catcher to develop as a leader.

Game Day Outlook

Hall certainly won’t give the bullpen the night off. He should have the advantage over the Rays lineup the first time through as the hitters acclimate to a pitcher they’ve never faced.

His plus-plus velocity should get a boost with the extra adrenaline that the occasion will provide. Control will be key.

Best-case scenario, Hall throws strikes with his fastball and keeps it out of the middle of the plate. Once establishing the ol’ #1, he should have chance to settle in, mix in his offspeed pitches, and make it through the lineup twice.

Regardless, it’s our first look at another piece of what should become winning Orioles baseball — and it’s happening in a playoff race.

WTP has you covered for the pennant races. Subscribe now and never miss a single edition.