Taken fifth overall in the 2017 MLB draft Kyle was a bit of surprise for the Braves as the lauded righty was at one point projected to be the top player in the draft. With an up-and-down final season with Vanderbilt, the Braves quickly nabbed the pitcher after he fell because of his pitchability, talent, and ceiling. Unfortunately for Kyle and the Braves it has not led to the best results in the majors and with a clear path to the starting rotation, Kyle fumbled the opportunity. There is still much to like about him and the Braves will give him every opportunity to realize his lofty potential.
What went right in 2020?
With just eight total starts in 2020 it’s very tough to judge him for his body of work but since that is the point of this article - not much went right for Kyle. Kyle did have four strong starts out of those eight culminating with a masterful performance against the New York Mets that gave everyone the hope that he may be turning that corner. That September 20th performance saw Kyle pitch 6.1 innings of one-hit baseball with one walk and six strikeouts. Kyle was totally in sync for all of that start and showed the world what he could do but all of that confidence unfortunately taken from him in that disastrous start in the playoffs against the Dodgers.
What went wrong in 2020?
Much like the rest of his professional career Kyle continued to struggle with the mental aspect of games often coming apart on the mound when facing adversity. This resulted in him losing starts during the regular season and all together going 2-4 in eight starts with a 5.21 ERA, 5.90 FIP, 7.11 K/9, and 5.68 BB/9. For someone with such elite talent, he has struggled to put it together on the mound.
Outlook for 2021?
What was hopefully an easy slot into the starting rotation the outlook for Kyle is relatively unknown. If he has a strong Spring Training and shows an ability to handle the mental aspect of the game, reduce his walk rate, and put together a more consistent season you could see Kyle making himself at home in the majors. If he struggles like the past two seasons he could find himself in Gwinnett - though that would be quite the drop.