- Full name Joshua Beau Hartle
- Born 03/24/2003 in Rockingham, NC
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Wake Forest
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Drafted in the 3rd round (83rd overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024 (signed for $850,000).
View Draft Report
School: Wake Forest
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.3
BA Grade: 45/High
Tools: Fastball: 40. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Cutter: 50. Control: 60.
Hartle had a chance to go in the first two rounds of the 2021 draft out of high school, but he took himself out of the running when he announced his intention to attend Wake Forest. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound lefthander has been a high-level strike-thrower for three seasons. After a tremendous 2023 campaign in which he doubled his strikeout rate, Hartle entered his draft season as a high-probability first-rounder thanks to one of the more attractive starter profiles in the class. Things did not go smoothly in 2024. He posted a career-worst 5.74 ERA in 74.2 innings and 15 starts with command that backed up and pure stuff that rarely missed bats. Hartle has a deep pitch mix that includes a sinking fastball that averages 90 mph and touches 93-94, a mid-80s sweepy slider that occasionally has a slurvy look, an upper-80s cutter and a mid-80s changeup. Hartle has an easy delivery with a low three-quarters slot that has led to plus control, though his lack of pure stuff and power means he needs to be precise with his location to avoid damage. He does a good job generating a high rate of ground balls and weak contact when he stays at the bottom of the strike zone. Hartle’s command gives him a chance to be a back-end starter, but his upside is limited without adding more power.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 45/High
Track Record: Hartle had a chance to go in the first two rounds of the 2021 draft out of high school, but he took himself out of the running when he announced his intention to attend Wake Forest. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound lefthander has been a high-level strike-thrower for three seasons. After a tremendous 2023 campaign in which he doubled his strikeout rate, Hartle entered his draft season as a high-probability first-rounder thanks to one of the more attractive starter profiles in the class. Things did not go smoothly in 2024. He posted a career-worst 5.74 ERA in 74.2 innings and 15 starts with command that backed up and pure stuff that rarely missed bats.
Scouting Report: Hartle has a deep pitch mix that includes a sinking fastball that averages 90 mph and touches 93-94, a mid-80s sweepy slider that occasionally has a slurvy look, an upper-80s cutter and a mid-80s changeup. Hartle has an easy delivery with a low three-quarters slot that has led to plus control, though his lack of pure stuff and power means he needs to be precise with his location to avoid damage. He does a good job generating a high rate of ground balls and weak contact when he stays at the bottom of the strike zone.
The Future: Hartle’s command gives him a chance to be a back-end starter, but his upside is limited without adding more power.
Scouting Grades:Fastball: 40 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 60.
Draft Prospects
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School: Wake Forest Committed: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.3
Hartle was a potential top-two round talent out of high school, but he announced his intention to get to campus at Wake Forest prior to the 2021 draft. He got hit around a bit as a freshman, but took a big step forward in 2023 when he posted a 2.81 ERA over 102.1 innings as part of one of the best pitching staffs in the country. His 27.7 K-BB% was one of the best marks in the country and the development of a cutter seemed to allow him to miss more bats and keep hitters off his fastball. Hartle throws a sinking fastball that averages around 90 mph and has been up to 94. He throws a low-80s curveball with three-quarter shape, a mid-80s changeup and a mid-to-upper-80s cutter. Hartle is a plus strike thrower with a clean and easy delivery, though that same operation that leads to quality strikes also lacks deception for hitters.
