Name: Blade Tidwell
School: University of Tennessee
Position: Right-Handed Pitcher
Height/Weight: 6’4” 207
B/T: R/R
D.O.B. 6/8/2001
With a fastball that tops out at 99 and regularly sits in the 93-96 range, Tidwell has the stuff to go high in the upcoming MLB draft. His secondary pitches include a plus slider, a changeup that generated a 39 percent swing-and-miss rate in 2021 to go with a mid-70s curveball that can be tough on left-handers. With all that upside, why does Tidwell project as a late first-round to early second-round pick? The all too familiar answer to that question is injury.
Tidwell got a late start to the 2022 season with a shoulder injury that has limited his usage. Having made nine starts, he’s frequently been used as an opener. He’s also made four appearances out of the pen. The injury hasn’t limited his performance as he has improved statistically in ERA, WHIP and K/9 over the 2021 season.
Prior to the injury, Tidwell had a reputation for going late into games. In a June 3rd start against Alabama State, he appeared to regain that form, throwing 7.2 innings of shutout ball, including seven strikeouts. In his subsequent outing, Notre Dame roughed him up for five earned runs in only three innings. Whether he projects as a starter and how teams view his injury will determine his status in the upcoming draft.
For an in-depth look at Tidwell, including video of his primary pitches, read Josh Nelson’s analysis from April.
Here's a look at him prior to the shoulder injury
Why Would the White Sox Draft Blade Tidwell?
There are plenty of old sayings to go around to answer this question.
- You can never have too much pitching
- It takes ten pitching prospects to get two
Beyond the cliches, there are several other reasons Tidwell would be a good fit for the White Sox. In recent years, the White Sox have dipped into the high school ranks for pitchers. Couple that with the injury to top pitching prospect — Norge Vera to start the 2022 season, and the White Sox find themselves a bit thin at the upper levels of the minors.
In 2021, they drafted Maryland right-hander Sean Burke, who quickly made the jump to Double-A Birmingham. Davis Martin has burst onto the scene this year as legitimate big league pitching depth. Jimmy Lambert is in the major league bullpen and Jonathan Stiever is injured. There just isn't much pitching depth in the system right now and it wouldn't be a surprise to see the White Sox load up in that area. Tidwell could take a similar trajectory to Burke, giving the club two options that could be ready for major league duty in the near future.
College Statistics
2021 SEC
18 G, 18 GS, 98.2 IP, .374 ERA, 1.196 WHIP, 34 BB, 90K
2022 SEC
13 G, 9 GS, 39.0 IP, .300 ERA, 1.077 WHIP, 11 BB, 51K
