| Player: Ethan Norby | |||||||||||
| School: East Carolina | Position(s): LHP | ||||||||||
| Height: 5’10” | Weight: 195 lbs. | Bats: Right | Throws: Left | ||||||||
| Summary: Norby has carved out his value by leaning into pitch quality and command rather than physicality, and it works. The fastball isn’t overpowering, but it plays better than the raw velocity thanks to heavy spin, unusual run, and a very flat approach angle from a low three-quarters slot. He’s comfortable living on the edges and at the bottom of the zone, and when he’s synced, the heater sets up one of the better breaking balls in the country. The sweeper shows elite spin and massive horizontal movement, consistently missing bats and generating chase, particularly down and glove side, and it’s the clear engine of the profile. The rest of the mix continues to trend in the right direction. He’s added a changeup that shows real fade and gives him a viable look against right-handed hitters, and he’ll mix a cutter to keep barrels from sitting on the breaking ball. Strike-throwing is a strength across the board—he fills the zone, works efficiently, and isn’t afraid to attack with secondaries early in counts. The overall look is polished and competitive, with an advanced feel for sequencing and manipulating shape that allows the stuff to play above its raw grades. There’s limited physical projection, and the size will always cap how much margin for error he has, but the floor here is real. With his ability to spin the ball, repeat strikes, and get through innings, he profiles as a reliable starter type whose success is driven by pitch quality and execution. If performance continues to hold against higher-end lineups, the combination of command and a legitimately special breaking ball gives him a chance to push higher than a typical backend outcome. | |||||||||||
Shaun Kernahan is the founder and lead writer of Three Quarter Slot, where he blends scouting precision with a storyteller’s eye for the human side of the game. Based in Parker, Colorado, he has covered baseball prospects at every level since 2013, delivering in-depth evaluations, draft analysis, and developmental insight. Over the years, he has built Three Quarter Slot into a trusted home for thoughtful prospect coverage, detailed scouting reports, and a grounded look at how talent evolves
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