According to the box score, Nett threw 39 of 58 pitches for strikes (67.2%), but that is incorrect. Nett threw 39 of 63 pitches for strikes (61.9%), which shows how fickle strk% can be for an outing. (I tend to find strk% more useful looking at it lined up, outing by outing. Is there a large variance? Do we see a 70% and then some in the 50s for a minute, etc. I don’t like it as a mean on the season ruler, but I digress.) This was a good matchup. Both grooved through some stretches (both as the lineup turned over) while also showing areas of improvement they likely need to succeed at the MLB level. A classic-looking AA duel between two good, but very different arms, who may have MLB success ahead if they can clear a hurdle or two.
Braden Nett
Several folks reached out asking about Nett. The fastball velocity does seem higher than I recall, touching 98 per broadcast. But the velocity didn’t hold past 35ish pitches. The first time through the lineup, I was prepping myself for a fairly generic assessment: a firm FB up, playing a slider off it to righties, and some changeups to lefties, with these secondaries probably not executed fairly well. I’d also say the fastball execution was pedestrian. As we got to the second time through, Nett got much more interesting, using all three of said offerings more boldly. He also showed a curveball for the first time and struck out the final two in the third with the changeup doing heavy lifting. Here’s a look at my favorite moment:
My overall takeaway is Nett’s arsenal has, or is in the process of, taking a developmental leap, and he’s got the stones to pitch to development during his outings. If you’re thinking he’s turned into some high velo guy, I’d pump the breaks on that. The Padres did well finding an independent ball arm who has a chance. We’ll see what the next 100 or so developmental innings bring. I’m not rushing out to roster Nett, but if he starts showing more horsepower, it gets more interesting. Nett’s on the slender side and has never surpassed 70 IP in a season, so he has a lot to prove in this department. He’s off to a great 2025 start and a hope for a mix of good stuff and good pitcher doesn’t feel out of pocket. There’s a little bit of violence to Nett’s operation at times, and I’m not so sure how camouflaged his offerings are. If you were to watch him enough, just him on the mound, paying no attention to the pitch, I wonder if you could start deciphering his offerings from just his arm motion.
Jose Fleury
Fleury is sturdy and easy up there. The changeup is so slow and tough on AA hitters. Fleury isn’t one to double up the same offering, very much a mixer with movement going in all directions. There was the low 90s fastball, a slider, a curveball, something with smaller break, like a cutter or slutter or manipulation on the slider. He’s a soft-tossing righty, so there’s that thin line, but his fastball execution looked excellent, which helps, and as you’ll see here in my favorite moment of his, he knows how to maximize the fastball’s effectiveness through sequencing:
Fleury is very much on the pitchability end of the spectrum. I love to cheer for these types, but we have to keep it real about today’s game. It’s tough on soft-throwing righties to walk the line and execute at the level required to consistently have MLB success. Fleury might have a chance though, plus he’s a lot of fun. Nett was also fun…his last two innings. If you like right on right changeups, this was an absolute feast. Here are the ones that ended ABs this duel: