Cleveland Guardians Top 30 Prospects: #22 Doug Nikhazy

Left-handed pitching. It's something the Guardians lineup struggled against in 2022 and something not featured every fifth day in a Cleveland rotation since TJ House made 18 starts for the club in 2014. In fact, only 12 southpaws have registered a start for Cleveland since 2010, and Scott Kazmir and David Huff are tied for the most starts by a left-handed pitcher in that span with 29.And that brings us to my number 22 prospect Doug Nikhazy, a highly decorated left-handed pitcher taken by Cleveland in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Ole Miss. Nikhazy, 23, left the Rebels with multiple All-American honors, First Team All-SEC honors in 2021, Ole Miss single-season wins record (12), and second most strikeouts in a single season in school history (142). It's easy to see why the Guardians used a second-round pick on him, so let's look at his makeup and his debut season with the organization.Nikhazy features a three-pitch mix with a fastball that sits 88-92, a slider, and a standout curveball. Even though velocity is king the fastball misses its fair share of bats, and the curveball plays well off of it. The slider is inconsistent but could be plagued by his average to below-average command limiting his ability to get chases out of the zone. The curveball is his best pitch with a 12-6 break and some sharp bite that could make it a plus pitch if he can find the zone on a regular basis.[embed]https://twitter.com/CleGuardPro/status/1560061052230008832?s=20&t=Jng697XCg9K5ioiwL-ABbw[/embed]Nikhazy made his organizational debut in 2022, making a combined 24 starts between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. He pitched 102.1 total innings with a 3.97 ERA, 79 walks (17.4% BB%), 128 strikeouts (28.3% K%) and a 1.49 WHIP. He got roughed up in his first four professional starts in April, surrendering a .296/.446/.318 opponent batting line in 11 innings pitched but rebounded nicely. Over his next 17 starts, Nikhazy held his opponents to a .164/.312/.286 triple slash while posting a 3.29 ERA in 82 innings pitched. Despite the alarming walk totals, Nikhazy proved largely effective as he settled into his first full season which earned him a late call-up to Akron where he struggled with the learning curve in three starts.Two things separate Nikhazy from Tanner Burns who I ranked at number 23 and suffers from similar command issues. The first is Nikhazy's ability to limit self-inflicted wounds and hard contact, allowing more walks than hits in 2022 and posting a respectable 0.79 HR/9. He demonstrated better control in college as well, posting walk rates of less than 10% in his two full seasons for the Rebels. The second reason Nikhazy earns the number 22 spot is his upside as a reliever. He has a somewhat deceptive left-handed delivery that helps the fastball play up despite well below-average velocity, and the curveball is a reliable out pitch. Both demonstrate the ability miss bats when he's throwing strikes, providing the club with more options how to use Nikhazy going forward.[embed]https://twitter.com/CleGuardPro/status/1545914682460065794?s=20&t=Jng697XCg9K5ioiwL-ABbw[/embed]Nikhazy has a reputation as a relentless competitor, something showcased heavily during Ole Miss' 2021 College World Series run when he was featured multiple times by Rob Friedman, AKA @PitchingNinja. He's also reportedly a sponge when it comes to taking instruction and learning how to be a better pitcher, something that could help him find ways to be more effective despite below-average stuff going forward. Like Jack Leftwich in my number 28 spot, Nikhazy is getting the opportunity to be a starter for now and work out the kinks with the rest of his arsenal and his command, but it's the reliever upside that bumps him up a few spots on the list.If Nikhazy is able to throw strikes more consistently going forward he should be able to get hitters to chase more, which would improve his already impressive 28.3% K%. The pieces are all there, and it's not unheard of for Cleveland's player development staff to find a few ticks of velocity, something that might make Nikhazy a legitimate threat. I'll be monitoring Nikhazy's usage in 2023 for better command and if the team slides him into the bullpen. Either way, the Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC will work its magic.The List so Far:23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe25. Isaiah Greene26. Jake Fox27. Jhonkensy Noel28. Jack Leftwich29. Trenton Denholm30. Peyton Battenfield