Levi Sterling following path of other Pirates pitching prospects
The 37th overall pick from this most draft following path that other Pirates prospects have followed
Stop me if you have heard this one, the Pittsburgh Pirates used one of their early draft picks on a super athletic two-way prep player with more upside on the mound.
Bubba Chandler and Jared Jones are among the two more notable players in their system who hit and pitched in high school but have focused on the latter since turning pro (Chandler, of course, did both in 2022 in the Complex and Bradenton).
They went that route again in 2024, taking right-handed pitcher Levi Sterling with the 37th overall pick. He was one of several prep players the Pirates selected early, but the only pitcher.
He was also a shortstop on his days off, but his upside on the mound made him go so high.
Sterling has four pitches that he already commands well, and while he doesn’t have the velocity of a Jones or Chandler, his standing at 6’5” gives hope that he could grow into some more pop on his fastball.
Even at its current speed (90-92 mainly), it gets good life up in the zone, and he throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot. He mixes in a curveball, slider, and change-up, all of which most outlets believe can be average or better.
The more I have watched of Sterling, the more excited I get about him getting his professional career underway. At the moment, I’m relegated to YouTube videos of him pitching in high school, but he’s got a big frame and a really good feel for all of his pitches.
Maybe what stood out the most was the arm action on the change-up. It was quick and hard to differentiate from the fastball. Chandler has one of the best change-ups in the system, and a big reason is that.
Sterling may not have the upside of a Jones or Chandler, but you could argue he has a better floor than the other two as a teenager. He can throw four pitches for strikes, which puts him on a good path to being a back-of-the-rotation starter.
If the stuff, especially the velocity, continues to tread up, that’s where the upside moves.
The Pirates have done a good job developing these players to the point where it seems to be a safe bet we will see the best version of Sterling down the road.
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I am Groot.
Thanks for the comments on Levi Sterling. I had mentioned him a day or two ago wondering if he has the chops to see a lot of time in A Ball in his first professional season. I can see the Pirates wanting to give him time in the FCL, but hopefully he will show enough control and manipulation of his 4 pitches at that level to merit competing at the A level.
It's not like the Pirates need some young SP to race to the MLB level, but he seems to be very comfortable and confident in his own abilities and competency. Be interesting to watch. We seem to turn them out year after year, and for that I compliment our GM and our developmental system.
We just need to learn how to develop and apply similar developmental skills with our hitters. Step up Matt Hague - no pressure at all!!!