Brandon Pfaadt

Pfaadt pitched mostly out of the bullpen his first two years at Division II Bellarmine (Ky.), but after a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, he transitioned to a full-time starting role this spring. Over the summer, Pfaadt showed solid strike-throwing ability to go along with a plus fastball in the 93-95 mph range. In 32 innings, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound righthander posted a 2.81 ERA while striking out 34 batters and walking eight. Pfaadt also showed the makings of an above-average breaking ball, but the pitch was inconsistent. Pfaadt managed five starts this spring before the coronavirus wiped out the season. He posted a 1.38 ERA in 26 innings with 27 strikeouts and just four walks—good for the best strikeout-to-walk ratio of his career. Scouts note that Pfaadt’s fastball has good sinking action, but they also have seen his velocity tick down into the 88-90 mph range in the middle innings despite a big, strong frame. Because of that he might be better served for a reliever role in pro ball, where he could also focus on refining his curveball into a plus offering.