Fangraphs write-up on German from early 2020:
https://blogs.fangraphs.com/top-54-prospects-new-york-yankees/
32.
Frank German, RHP
Drafted: 4th Round, 2018 from North Florida (NYY)
[TH]Age[/TH]
| 22.4 |
[TH]Height[/TH]
6′ 2″ |
[TH]Weight[/TH]
195 |
[TH]Bat / Thr[/TH]
R / R |
[TH]FV[/TH]
40 |
Tool Grades (Present/Future)
[TH]Fastball[/TH]
[TH]Slider[/TH]
[TH]Changeup[/TH]
[TH]Command[/TH]
[TH]Sits/Tops[/TH]
| 55/60 |
40/50 |
45/50 |
40/45 |
92-96 / 98 |
German was a solid middle-round college pitching prospect going into the 2018 draft, with most clubs treating him as a sixth to eighth round talent who could possibly be a target for the 11th-12th rounds and a $125,000 bonus, as cheap senior signs fill in the latter stages of the top 10 rounds. Then German (Dominican-born and whose name is pronounced like the European country) had one of the latest pre-draft velo spikes possible, suddenly hitting 95 mph during the Atlantic Sun conference tournament in his final college game just two weeks before Day One. Miles per hour are a dime a dozen these days, but German had the athleticism and arm action of a starter and had put on about 15 pounds in the previous 12 months, so some thought this could be coming. Clubs who had scouts at that final start shot him up their boards, and the Yankees jumped to the front of the line to take him in the fourth round.
The velo spike held throughout German’s first summer in pro ball — he sat 92-95 and touched 97 mph in the fall instructional league, and put on about 10 additional pounds after signing — and then moved yet another tick last year — 93-96, touch 98 — even though German is still starting. The length of his arm action and the gap between where his secondary stuff is (German’s college breaking ball was scrapped, and his changeup is now his best secondary) and what it’d have to be to play several times through the order means German is likely a fastball-heavy reliever.
