Position: RHP
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 195 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 05/05/1994
College: Dartmouth College
How Acquired: Draft 10th round, 298th Overall, 2017
Bonus: $5,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 2
Overview
The Pirates drafted Sulser in the tenth round as a college senior. That probably was intended to help them save bonus pool money, as they took five prep picks in the first six rounds in 2017. In fact, Sulser got a token bonus of $5000. The slot amount was $134,200. Despite all that, he defied the odds by reaching the majors. Sulser is a right-handed starter who was at Dartmouth for five seasons, missing the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery the previous fall. He was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year in 2017, although he turned 23 in May, which is old for a draftee. He made seven starts that season, posting a 1.40 ERA in 45 innings, with five walks, 52 strikeouts and a .201 BAA. Sulser wasn’t in Baseball America’s top 500 draft prospects, but he did rank 12th in an average year for the New England area. He throws an 88-92 mph fastball and has a good change.
2017-20
After mostly struggling in a swing role in the New York-Penn League in 2017, Sulser spent 2018 in the low A bullpen, where he shared closer duties. Sulser put up impressive numbers, with great walk and K rates of 0.6 and 9.9 per nine innings, respectively. Opponents had just a 205/228/286 line against him. He held left-handed batters to a measly .388 OPS. He was 24 most of the season, which is old for the level.
Despite the fact that they didn’t see fit to promote Sulser during the 2018, the Pirates jumped him to AA in 2019. He pitched in a swing role there and got very good results despite a very low K/9 of 5.9. He was much more effective as a reliever, holding opponents to a .618 OPS compared to .741 as a starter. He gave up only four home runs and had a minimal platoon split. He didn’t pitch in 2020 beyond making five starts in the Australian Baseball League.
2021-22
A little surprisingly, the Pirates put Sulser in the Indianapolis rotation in 2021. Along with James Marvel, he served as an innings-eating mainstay, finishing fifth in the league in innings and tied for first in starts. He wasn’t very effective, with opponents batting 299/368/498 against him. He had no platoon split at all. Longballs were a problem, as Sulser allowed 21, better than one every six innings.
In 2022, Sulser pitched well for Indianapolis in three early-season starts, and the Pirates called him up in late April. In 8.2 innings to start his career, he gave up four earned runs, although he did allow five walks and five unearned runs. He followed that with one bad inning because Derek Shelton left him in too long in a game against the Dodgers. Shortly after that the Pirates designated Sulser for assignment to make room for Tyler Beede. The Orioles claimed him and he spent most of the rest of the season with their AAA affiliate, although he got into six games with the O’s in five separate callups. Sulser’s results in AAA with Baltimore weren’t so good, but a lot of it resulted from a .371 BABIP. The O’s designated Sulser for assignment after the season and the Pirates claimed him.
2023-24
The Pirates outrighted Sulser after the 2022 season and he signed with the KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Association. He didn’t pitch well and the team released him in June. Near the end of the month, he signed a minor league deal with the Pirates. He made four starts for Altoona and pitched fairly well, then moved up to Indianapolis and pitched badly over eight games. He missed the last month and a half of the season with an injury.
Toronto signed Sulser to a minor league deal for 2024 in early May and sent him to their AAA affiliate. He started and relieved there, and mostly struggled. He had a 5.29 ERA and was hurt by longballs, allowing one every three and a half innings. Toronto released him in early August and the Pirates, in need of upper level pitching depth, signed him nine days later. Apart from one appearance for Altoona, he pitched for Indianapolis, making three starts and three relief appearances. He got hit hard, with a 6.53 ERA and 1.79 WHIP.
Stats
Transactions
June 13, 2017: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 10th round, 298th overall pick; signed on June 20.
April 24, 2022: Contract purchased by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
May 14, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates by the Baltimore Orioles.
October 18, 2022: Claimed off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 10, 2022: Outrighted to AAA by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 23, 2022: Released by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
June 29, 2023: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
November 6, 2023: Became a free agent.
May 5, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Toronto Blue Jays.
August 6, 2024: Released by the Toronto Blue Jays.
August 15, 2024: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.