The Pittsburgh Pirates have drafted right-handed pitcher Logan Sendelbach from Tiffin University in the tenth round. He’s 6′ 3″, 190 pounds, and has been a starter all three years he has been at Tiffin. He posted a 2.84 ERA in 57 innings this year, with a 50:29 K/BB ratio. His control was bad as a freshman, improved as a sophomore, and he saw the walks increase again this year.
Sendelbach can get his fastball up to 92 MPH, and has a tall, projectable frame. He was a wide receiver in high school, leading the Midland Athletic League in 2011 with 60 receptions for 857 yards and eight touchdowns. He was also the Offensive Player of the Year as a junior in high school, and the Defensive Player of the Year when he was a position player as a senior, so he’s been athletic enough to stand out in two sports, although he switched to pitching full-time in college.
This seems like a standard Pirates’ pick, taking a guy with a projectable frame, loose arm action, and the ability to already hit the low 90s. Typically with these guys they will work on adding strength, and hoping that this translates to higher velocity. This has worked in a lot of cases, and I’m guessing Sendelbach will be the next guy going through the program.
The Pirates drafted eight college players with their eight picks on day two, including six pitchers and five right-handers. It looks like they’re filling out the Morgantown roster, which makes sense, as most of the guys in extended Spring Training right now project to go to either Bristol or the GCL.
