My initial reaction to watching Hawtin take the mound is “Wow, he has a pro-pitcher body!” His body-type reminds me of Josh Johnson (6’7” 248), a lot (see pictures below). He is a huge pitcher, and I become more impressed when I put the radar gun on him. He throws between 92-95mph with an 11-5 curve that sits around 81mph. I like that he has a 10mph difference between his power fastball and his show-me curve. For a freshman pitcher that seems to be growing into his body, he repeats his throwing motion very well. Buchanan uses his large-frame to throw the ball on a nice downward plane. His arm action is slightly concerning to me. Hawtin is very “arm-fast,” which is normally a good thing. However, I am worried about the way his elbow leads into the pitch (slow-motion front view). Other than that minor hiccup in his arm motion, Buchanan shows good mechanics for somebody his size. He starts with a slight step to the first base side of the mound and uses a high leg kick (impressive for such a big body) to generate his momentum to the plate. While he doesn’t fully extend into the power position, he plants his front leg and uses that action to throw the ball on such an aggressive downward plane (slow motion side-view). He uses the “bow and arrow” technique and tucks his glove very well. His rotation and finish are smooth. He allows his back leg to fall into place, squarely facing home plate. His arm has a little “snapback” action, but I do not think that is an issue. This Biloxi, Mississippi native is going to pitch in some tight spots, as a reliable reliever, for the Braves this summer. Right now, Hawtin is a big-body power arm, and I really believe he can turn his curveball into a plus pitch as he gains confidence in it. With continued development, tt would be hard to picture Buchanan going anywhere other than the top 5 rounds in 2014.
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