RHP Calvin Ziegler

Hometown: Heidelberg, Ont.

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6’ 0” 205 lbs.

Scout: Jon Updike

Slot Money: $1,617,400

Big Interest from: New York Yankees.

Team: Great Lake Canadians.

Committed to: Auburn University.

Coach: Adam Stern.

Previous Teams: Ohio Warhawks, TNXL Level, Canadian Jr. National Team, Tri-City Giants, Ontario Youth Team, Kitchener Panthers.

Previous Coaches: Brian Martinez, Pete Sass, Greg Hamilton, Dave Schmidt, David Quattrociocchi, Pete Bateman, JJ Ziegler, Jeff Young.

Good genes: His father, JJ, stands 6-foot-3 and is a huge Montreal Canadiens fan.

Twitter handle: @CalvinZiegler19

The most influential person in his baseball life: “It’s really hard to name only one person, I’ve been so lucky to have guidance and support from so many great coaches, advisors and my dad. All of them have helped me get to this position, Great Lakes pitching coach Jon Fitzsimmons (London, Ont.) and Dr. Andrew Robb (Kitchener, Ont.).”

2021 Rankings on other lists: 272nd on Baseball America’s top 500 list (down four spots) … No. 98 on Perfect Game Scouting Service top 500 combined list of high schoolers and collegians (April 23), up three from No. 101 (April 28), down three, down 11 from No. 90 (Feb. 18) ... Perfect Game’s 12th prospect of 44 in state of Florida … No. 100 on ESPN list of prospects (April 19), same as previous list (Feb. 26) ... 268th on Baseball America’s top 500 (June 15), down 68 spots … 200th on Baseball America’s (May 3), down 32 spots from 168th on March 27, up from 194 ... 134th on MLB Pipeline’s list of prospects (May 19), down nine spots from No. 125 on (April 21) … PBR’s HS ranking in Ontario sits as No. 1, No. 17 overall in Florida … 159th on Prospects Live top 500 (Sept. 20, 2020).

2020 Rankings on other lists: 417th on Baseball America’s top 500 combined list of high schoolers and collegians (May 8) ... 387th on Perfect Game’s top 400 (May 18) ... 497th on PG’s top 500 high schoolers (April 7) ... 376th on Perfect Game’s top 400 (March 23) ... PBR’s top pitcher in province, third-rated high schooler.

Summer plans: Ohio Warhawks and TNXL Ducks..

Scouting Reports:

Perfect Game March 18

An Ontario native, Ziegler announced in January that he’d be attending TNXL Academy in central Florida for a few months this spring, likely to get more eyes on him and to help his draft stock heading into July. He had made a pair of relief appearances over the last two weeks and on Tuesday made his first start of the season. The results were very good for Ziegler, who allowed an unearned run while allowing no hits over three innings with four strikeouts. The Auburn signee is a very physical right-hander with good strength and room to add more as he continues to mature. He works exclusively from the stretch with a big stride toward the plate, good extension, and a bit of crossfire to the lower half. The arm path and delivery is clean and relatively low effort as Ziegler holds his stuff into his start and maintained his velocity well. The fastball worked from 91-95 mph with his last pitch of the game coming in at 95 mph. The fastball quality was good as he missed six bats with the pitch and could work it to either side nicely. There were a good amount of strikes as he only walked one and every other hitter he had a plan for and executed his pitches. The slider projects as a plus pitch with good biting action in the low-80s and he flashed a firm change up at 88 mph to a left-handed hitter that he threw once. Looking down the line, there’s likely two plus pitches in his fastball and slider with a good chance to start too, as Ziegler shouldn’t have to wait too long to hear his name called with a real possibility he goes on day one.

Baseball America

272. Calvin Ziegler

Last: 268

Teams: TNXL Academy/Ohio Warhawks

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R

Age At Draft: 18.8

The 18-year-old hard-throwing righthander is likely to be the first Canadian high schooler off the draft board this year, though he spent his entire spring playing south of the border to get in some time on the mound while his home province remained under strict pandemic protocols. Ziegler has consistently added velocity to his fastball, getting it up to 97 mph this spring, sitting in the low-to-mid 90s. His curve ball is solid-average, and he’s flashed a consistent top-to-bottom breaker with the potential to be a plus pitch. His mid-80s change up has been good, though Ziegler hasn’t always had a chance to get to it because of his inconsistency with his strike throwing. His stuff has always been there, and he took a step forward with his control earlier this year but recent looks indicate that there might have been some regression. He’s shown an ability to make significant progress in a short time frame, and has had an improved presence on the mound this year. There’s not a lot of projection left in his 6-foot, 205-pound frame. Ziegler is committed to Auburn, but the interest he’s drawn could easily see him head to pro ball.

MLB Pipeline

122. Calvin Ziegler

AGE 18 DOB 10/03/2002

BATS R THROWS R

HT 6’ 0” WT 205

Scouting Grades/Report

(20-80 grading scale)

FASTBALL 60 SLIDER 50 CHANGEUP 45 CONTROL 45

OVERALL 45

Teams could have taken Ziegler, the top prospect in Canada, a year ago, and one might have if the Draft had been longer. They’ll all get another chance as the right-hander is eligible again in 2021. Typically, the Canadian high school set gets scouted wisely when the junior national team makes its annual trip through Florida and plays pro teams during Spring Training. Since that didn’t happen this year, Ziegler came on his own to show off his improved stuff for TNXL Academy.

There’s no question about Ziegler’s arm strength. He’s typically up to the mid-90s in most outings now, though he’s touched 97 mph at times, comfortably sitting at 93 mph. His fastball is at its best when it’s heavy and down in the zone. He can also miss bats with his low-80s breaking ball, which can be a bit of a hybrid pitch, sometimes with more of a slider look and sometimes with more vertical break to it.

One of the keys to Ziegler’s development will be his change up, a pitch he has but doesn’t throw often at this point. The other will be his command, which has come and gone this spring. He’s aggressive and goes right after hitters, but has had trouble consistently throwing strikes, leading some to worry a bit about a reliever profile. He’ll head to Auburn should the Draft not go his way.

Perfect Game

Up to 95 MPH at WWBA with sink on the fastball and the ability to miss barrels, slider in the low 80’s with sharp actions.

AL scout

“I saw him good in Florida — what option did Canadian kids have with the Junior National Team being unable to fly south to be seen — he’s the best right-handed high schooler in Canada. One of our other guys saw him and didn’t like him as much I did. We’ll see him again..”

NL scouting director

“He’s ready now. He is a finished product.”

Prospects Live

Extremely loud stuff. 93-95 with big spin and a firm slider. Deception and arm speed in the profile. Command has been an issue in the past. Mechanics and timing on the arm need to be cleaned up a bit, but Ziegler has substantial upside.

2021 season _ Worked six innings giving up one hit and fanning 14 for Ohio Warhawks against the Midland Redskins ... Pitched four innings in his first start for the Warhawks against Midland, allowing one hit and two walks, while striking out 11 and hitting 99 MPH ... So in his final three starts -- including his final outing with the TNXL Ducks — where he whiffed 13 in a complete game shut out -- he worked 17 innings allowing one run on three hits and five walks, while striking out 38 and hitting 99 ...Pitching for TNXL in Florida, he had a 2.00 ERA with 16 walks and 51 strikeouts in 35 innings. He allowed 13 hits and hit three batters, holding opponents to a .111 batting average … Was seen by 27 cross checkers, six scouting directors and four assistant general managers. The Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks have shown the most interest … Also plans on pitching for the Ohio Warhawks before the draft.

2020 season _ Hit 97 MPH in Dorchester bullpen session …. Pitched three innings this spring allowing three runs on four hits and one walk, while fanning four.

2019 season _ At T12 he lost his only start as he allowed five runs on three hits, including a home run, while striking out three in two innings ... Pitched for Ontario Youth Team at Canada Cup in Regina. And did he ever pitch, working 4 1/3 innings and 94 pitches in four games with five walks, eight strikeouts and a 1.62 ERA ... He worked two innings against BC in the round robin loss in the opener, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks, while fanning four ... He allowed two runs -- one earned -- in a loss to host Saskatchewan in 1/3 of an inning on one hit and three walks ... Facing BC again in the semi-final , he gave up an unearned run on one hit, while striking out a pair in a 6-4 win... And in the gold medal game -- a 3-2 loss to Nova Scotia -- he pitched a scoreless inning striking out a pair.

Honours in 2021: Earned Perfect Game Preseason All-American and All-Region Teams ... Ranked No. 1 in the province of Ontario by PG ... Ranked No. 1 in Canada by PG.

Mark Bryson: New York Mets high on Heidelberg hurler Calvin Ziegler

Baseball America’s Alexis Brudnicki: Adding Velocity: 2021 Draft Prospect Calvin Ziegler Scouts Himself

Auburn baseball signing class: Calvin Ziegler

Connor Reid: Ziegler’s aggressiveness on the mound is key to his success’

Paul Mayne: From small town to bright lights?

JOSH BROWN: Ziegler bringing the heat to Alabama

JUSTINE FRASER: Heidelberg hurler drafted by New York Mets