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Physical Description: Tall,
sturdy pitcher's frame. Has filled out since he entered pro ball
and has minimal remaining projection.
Mechanics:
Throws from a three-quarters arm slot. Some effort in delivery.
Slightly below-average extension. Longer arm action with a
slight stab behind. Average arm speed. Hitters get a pretty good
look at him.
Fastball: 90-94 mph. Tops
out at 97 mph. Primarily relies on a sinking fastball, but will
also utilize a four-seam fastball. Sinker will show arm-side
run, while four-seam is very straight. Potential above-average
offering.
Slider: 84-89 mph. Short,
horizontal break. Added to his arsenal relatively recently, but
has developed into one of his more reliable secondaries. Does
not consistently get over it and snap it off. Average spin rate.
Potential above-average offering.
Curveball:
79-82 mph. Long, 12-to-6 action with depth with he snaps it off.
Has generated swinging strikes in the minors, but has not
translated as well to the major league level. Potential average
offering.
Changeup: 88-91 mph. Pitch
shows some sink and fade. Lacks feel and is inconsistent within
outings. Primarily thrown to left-handed hitters. Potential
fringe-average offering.
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Career Notes: Two-sport
athlete in high school, also starring in football. Was named
Illinois Player of the Year his senior year of high school. 18th
overall pick by the Pirates in 2019, signing for slightly under
slot. Was a consensus top 100 prospect entering the 2021 and
2022 seasons, appearing on MLB Pipeline's 2023 list as well.
Participated in the 2021 Futures Game. Struggled a bit in first
exposure to the majors in 2023 and 2024, but also dealt with a
lat strain in the first half of 2024. Traded to Boston for Nick
Yorke at the 2024 trade deadline. Showed a willingness to work
with the organization to tweak his pitches and mix after trade.
Earned call-up to start the season finale for Boston in 2024.
Did not break camp in 2025 in the Boston rotation despite
injuries to three MLB starting pitchers, losing out to Richard
Fitts and Sean Newcomb. Was traded to Milwaukee in April 2025 in
exchange for minor league outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, a
Competitive Balance Round A selection in the 2025 Draft, and a
player to be named later or cash considerations.
Summation: Potential back-end starter.
Ceiling of a mid-rotation starter. Intriguing project for the
pitching development staff to try to get the most out of a
player with raw talent and strong pedigree. Once a highly
regarded prospect, he has struggled to make the jump to the
majors. At worst, he looks like an emergency depth starter, but
he flashes MLB starter potential. Needs to find more consistency
with his secondary offerings and refine his fastball command to
reach his potential.
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