Nolan
Buss

At 6-foot, 175 pounds, Buss brings the funk from a low release with a long loop, working from an average release height of 4.9 feet and considerable forward extension (6.5 feet). His fastball worked at 90 mph all day with 15 inches of vertical break, 20 inches of horizontal action, spinning at a 2,300 rpm peak, making for a unique profile that should garner plenty of swings and misses on its own. The slider he showed works in the upper-70s with shorter action, and the changeup comes out firm with large horizontal action (20 inches on average). Buss has a full arsenal of large spreads, with laddered velocity separation for timing disruption tactics. His ability to spin may be understated based on his grips and action when observing in close proximity.

Positional Profile: RHP
Body: 6-0, 175-pounds.
Delivery: Funky, patient, stays tall, coiling down the mound. Long stride.
Arm Action: RH. Long, funky action with a full loop delivery low release, side arm slot. Loose quality to the arm action.
FB: T90.8, 90.1-90.6 mph. Firm fastball plays at the top of the zone with arm side finish. T2322, 2132 average rpm.
SL: 75.9-77.8 mph. Thrown with arm speed, 10/4 shape. T1939, 1782 average rpm.
CH: 81.3-83.4 mph. Hard sinking action, thrown with side spin, aggressive arm speed. T2045, 1957 average rpm.

Buss has made big strides in syncing up his release point more regularly, which has translated to more strikes this fall, without sacrificing velocity. At the PBR Midwest Fall Championships, Buss sat 84-86 mph and reached back for 87-88 several times early on, on a fastball that really exploded through the strike zone. Facing a quality lineup, Buss earned plenty of ugly swings and misses on the fastball alone. He has long levers attached to a 5-foot-11, 165-pound frame, and Buss is really only just scraping the surface of his massive potential.

Buss has emerged as the top freshman arm we’ve seen along this winter circuit. At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, Buss has broad shoulders, a high waist, and long levers that indicate prominent projection as he continues to develop and mature. He works a fluid pace with his shoulders level and closed down the mound, and he reaches the mid-80s with minimal effort from a low ¾ slot, reaching an 86 mph high here. His feel to locate his breaking ball is raw, understandably, but the pitch projects well as it spins at an above-average rate (2,244 rpm on average), with large horizontal action and depth.

Positional Profile: RHP A high-octane arm in Wisconsin's 2024 class.
Body: 5-11, 165-pounds.
Delivery: Tilt and topple delivery with upbeat tempo. Delivery adds deception, hiding the baseball well.
Arm Action: RH. Long and loose arm action from a true 3/4 window. Arm works well out front, accerlerating prior to release.
FB: T86, 84-86 mph. Two-seam type, heavy arm-side action with late run. Averaged 17.6 inches of horizontal movement, per TrackMan. Easy velo.  T2234, 2086 average rpm.
CB: 70-71 mph. 11/5 shape. Still fully developing feel to spin.  T2295, 2244 average rpm.
CH: Mimics fastball well when synced up; works from a similar slot with running action.  T1478, 1403 average rpm.