Doug Nikhazy was drafted by Cleveland in the 2nd round of the 2021 draft out of the University of Mississippi. He does not have the super high ceiling you would expect with a second-round pick. But he is a lefty with four decent pitches, so there is something here to like. Control was a bit of a problem during his first year in pro ball at High-A Lake County, but he got more than his fair share of strikeouts as well. (118 K’s and 68 walks in 93 IP).
His numbers were good enough to get him a promotion to AA-Akron for three starts, though he was roughed up something terrible there. Still, it was a good experience and hopefully sets him up nicely to open up the season there in 2023.