Bobby Bradley

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #22 prospect in 2005
  Bradley has had plenty of bad luck since being taken in the first round in 1999. He has gone through two elbow surgeries, including Tommy John in 2001, as well as a shoulder operation. Bradley was slowed by strained muscles in his shoulder and neck last season and has thrown just 317 minor league innings over five years. His best offering has always been his big-breaking curveball, and the pitch still has outstanding bite despite all of his physical woes. Bradley has improved his fastball over the years, and it now reaches 90-91 mph and has outstanding sinking action. He has problems getting his changeup over for strikes but is getting more consistent with it. Bradley is hesitant to pitch to contact at times and needs to have more faith in his stuff. He'll begin the season in the Triple-A rotation and should make his major league debut later in the year. He still has a chance to be a No. 3 or 4 starter, though his injury history suggests he may be better suited for middle relief in the long run.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #28 prospect in 2004
  Bradley appeared on the fast track to the major leagues after being the Pirates' first-round pick in 1999. However, he has been slowed by two operations on his elbow, including Tommy John surgery in 2001, and a third on his shoulder. Bradley has an outstanding curveball, a true 12-to-6 hammer he learned in Little League from his grandfather. It's virtually unhittable, but relying on it so much contributed to his arm problems. Bradley isn't a hard thrower, rarely touching 90 mph, but he has good life on his fastball. He also has a decent changeup. He must start using his changeup and fastball more often, and he needs to regain the command he showed before he started getting hurt. He no longer has the look of a potential ace but could be a No. 3 or 4 starter if everything works out. He'll return to low Class A and should move to Double-A at some point in 2004 if he stays healthy.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #14 prospect in 2003
  The eighth overall pick in the 1999 draft, Bradley was the Pirates' top pitching prospect before he had Tommy John surgery in October 2001. He missed the entire 2002 season, though he was able to pitch in instructional league and is expected to be 100 percent by spring training. Bradley has a tremendous curveball with late bite that buckles hitters' knees and is often unhittable. He has great command of his curve, along with a fastball that usually tops out in the high 80s and a changeup. He knows how to pitch and sets up hitters well. Bradley has been able to make just 29 starts in four pro seasons because of arm trouble and will have to be handled with care. The strain he puts on his elbow in throwing his curveball makes Bradley an injury risk. Once on the fast track to the major leagues, he has been slowed considerably and will start this season in high Class A. Bradley has the talent to get to the majors quickly, but his health will determine when he reaches that destination.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #4 prospect in 2002
  Both of Bradley's full seasons have been cut short by elbow problems. He sat out two months at Hickory in 2000 and was limited to nine starts with Lynchburg a year later before exploratory arthroscopic surgery in July. He continued to feel pain during instructional league and had Tommy John surgery in mid-October. Bradley has a great feel for pitching and is an outstanding competitor. His best pitch is a curveball and he throws two different kinds, a big bender and one with a shorter break. His fastball can touch 95 mph but usually sits around 88-89 mph. He's able to sink and cut the fastball while moving it in the strike zone. His changeup is an adequate pitch. Bradley won't be able to pitch until 2003 after having surgery so late in the year. He has been throwing curves since early childhood and no one knows if the pitch will have the same bite once he returns. He also has to adjust against advanced hitters who aren't so apt to chase curveballs in the dirt and fastballs off the plate. Bradley once was on a fast track to the major leagues. While pitchers now routinely return from major elbow surgery, it's far too early to determine when Bradley might get to PNC Park.
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  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #2 prospect in 2001
  The Pirates gave Bradley a club-record $2.25 million bonus as their first-round draft pick in 1999. He got off to a great start at Class A Hickory last year in his first full pro season, but sprained a ligament in his pitching elbow in June and missed two months. Bradley did come back late in the season, then threw well in instructional league. He has extraordinary control, shown by his 149-25 strikeout-walk ratio. He has two nasty curveballs thrown from different arm angles: a big bender that's his out pitch and one with a tighter break and more velocity. Bradley, who gets high marks for competitiveness, doesn't light up radar guns but his fastball has good life. His changeup continues to improve. His elbow problems are cause for at least mild concern. Some believe his reliance on curves might lead to continued arm trouble. The Pirates say they aren't worried about Bradley after seeing him back at 100 percent in instructional league. While he has adapted quickly to pro ball, the Pirates will try to avoid rushing him. Yet it's realistic to think he'll be in the majors at some point in 2002, particularly if his elbow holds up, and have the chance to become a top-of-the-rotation starter.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Carolina League #7 prospect in 2001
  Bradley was another of the league's top pitching prospects who couldn't stay healthy. His development has been slowed the past two seasons by elbow problems, a strained ligament in 2000 and bone chips in 2001. When he's 100 percent physically, Bradley has the ability to dominate. He throws two- and four-seam fastballs and is capable of reaching 92 mph. Yet it's his sharp-breaking curveball that always has been his out pitch. It's one of the best curves in the minors, though he may rely on it too much, to the detriment of his elbow. "There's no question about his competitiveness. He'll never have a problem with that part of the game," Lynchburg pitching coach Blaine Beatty said. "There are still some things he needs to achieve and learn, but he has so many things to offer."
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  Ranked South Atlantic League #4 prospect in 2000
  A sprained elbow ligament cost Bradley a chance to play in the Futures Game and the Pirates had him on a carefully monitored throwing program in August. When he was healthy, he mostly overmatched batters. His sharp, dropping curveball was so dominating and polished that Pittsburgh insisted he work on his fastball, which will be more vital at higher levels. Bradley consistently demonstrated his knack for throwing strikes with his entire four-pitch repertoire, which also includes a slider and changeup. "He has two kinds of curveballs and throws them from two different angles, one for strikes, one more as a strikeout type of pitch," Hickory manager Jay Loviglio said. "Both have a good, downward plane. They’re nice and tight and the accuracy is better than you’d think for a guy his age." Bradley’s durability is at least a slight concern. More than one SAL manager wondered if throwing too many curveballs would take a toll on him.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #20 prospect in 2001

• December, 1999 Scouting Report
  A sprained elbow ligament cost Bradley a chance to play in the Futures Game and the Pirates had him on a carefully monitored throwing program in August. When he was healthy, he mostly overmatched batters. His sharp, dropping curveball was so dominating and polished that Pittsburgh insisted he work on his fastball, which will be more vital at higher levels. Bradley consistently demonstrated his knack for throwing strikes with his entire four-pitch repertoire, which also includes a slider and changeup. "He has two kinds of curveballs and throws them from two different angles, one for strikes, one more as a strikeout type of pitch," Hickory manager Jay Loviglio said. "Both have a good, downward plane. They’re nice and tight and the accuracy is better than you’d think for a guy his age." Bradley’s durability is at least a slight concern. More than one SAL manager wondered if throwing too many curveballs would take a toll on him.