Erik (Chicago): What are some of the things holding D-backs righthander Brandon Pfaadt back from being mentioned with the upper echelon of pitching prospects? Seems like from a stat line perspective he should be close with the numbers he put up in Reno and leading the minors in strikeouts.
Nick Piecoro: Yeah, this was something that came up with scouts and player development folks I talked to. The thinking from some evaluators is that there is no real wipeout pitch, no overwhelming option. But the question for many became, at what point are the results just so good that you would be selling him short to think the total package wouldn’t be elite in the majors? Those numbers he put up in extreme hitting environments were incredible. So while he doesn’t have the super high-carry fastball or the nastiest slider you’ll see, he has a lot of above-average pitches/characteristics, along with command, acumen, etc., and the sum of the parts has a chance to be really, really good.
