Age: 22
Level: Arizona Complex League
Position: Starting Pitcher
Bats/Throws: Right/Right
Height/Weight: 6’0″/180 pounds
Acquired: 2025 Draft, 2nd Round
Current BSB Ranking: 7
Previous BSB Ranking: 8
Pic Credit: Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger
Player Summary
Brief Summary
Colorado’s second pick in the 2025 draft, JB Middleton, starred at Southern Mississippi with a 2.31 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 122 strikeouts in 105.1 innings, earning multiple All-American honors. The 6-foot right-hander sits around 94 mph and reaches 97, pairing it with a hard slider that kept hitters off balance. A developing changeup, cutter, and two-seamer add intrigue. Middleton’s polish could earn him an aggressive assignment, with mid-rotation starter potential if his arsenal continues to deepen.
More detailed breakdown
The Rockies second selection in the 2025 draft, Middleton was selected out fo Southern Mississippi — a school that has produced the likes of Brian Dozier and. perhaps most relevant to the Rockies right now, Chad Bradford (one of the icons of the Moneyball era). For the Golden Eagles in 2025, Middleton posted a 2.31 ERA and 0.85 WHIP with 122 strikeouts in 105.1 innings, earning a spot on the NCBWA and Perfect Game All-American teams, and a nod as roughly one of the 5 best pitchers in the nation.
Standing just 6-foot and around 180 pounds, you might think Middleton lacks stuff and got by against lesser competition but the numbers speak for themselves. Middleton averages around 94 with his fastball and gets up to 97 with regularity and holds velocity deep into games. It is Middleton’s slider that drew the most attention, however. His breaking ball sat 87-90 with tight shape. The subtle velocity difference between the slider and fastball had hitters off balance constantly and they only recorded a .460 OPS against it. Middleton’s changeup was also a weapon in the Sun Belt conference up to 90 with a .211 OPS against and 52.6 whiff%, though he only threw it about 10% of the time.
Middleton has also flashed a cutter and 2-seam fastball that hint at true versatility and a potentially deeper arsenal in the future. Expect Middleton and his whippy arm to get an aggressive assignment to Spokane with a chance to reach Hartford by year’s end. Middleton doesn’t possess a ton of upside as a smaller pitcher, but if he can develop a strong 5-pitch arsenal, there’s no reason why Middleton — supported by high-end arm talent — can’t become a legit mid-rotation starter. Written by Tyler Paddor.
Player Links
MLB.com player page | Fangraphs | Baseball Savant | Baseball Reference
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