Nick Howard

Howard's numbers at Low-A Dayton and subsequently in the Arizona Fall League should be taken with a grain of salt, as the 2014 first-round pick spent his senior year at Virginia as a reliever, only to be used as a starter in his first taste of professional ball. The Reds have had some success turning their relief prospects into starters, such as Mike Lorenzen, so 2015 could be a growth year for Howard. As a starter, his fastball was topping out at 95-96 mph after reaching 98 as a reliever at UVA. His second-best pitch is a slider that many believe projects to be a strong offering for him. This appears to be a draft strategy by the Reds under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement -- find some live arms among relievers that might be a little cheaper to sign and then try to convert them into starting. Even if it doesn't work out, subsequent relief work could still be a safety net.