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Brandon Waddell Getting Some Valuable Experience Out of the Bullpen in the AFL

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GLENDALE, Ariz. – It’s not a permanent assignment. Well, at least not for now.

Brandon Waddell has been a starter his entire pro career with the Pirates, after being a starter with the University of Virginia. But he was sent to the Arizona Fall League this offseason to pitch out of the bullpen for the first time.

The move is a common one. Each team sends four pitchers to the league, and typically only one of those pitchers will start. Waddell is representing the Pirates alongside top prospect Mitch Keller, and hard-throwing lefty pitching prospect Taylor Hearn. Those two have received the priority for starts, leaving Waddell to get work out of the bullpen.

That doesn’t signal that the Pirates will move Waddell to the bullpen in the future. However, the crowded scene in Triple-A next year could put some former starters in the bullpen, with Waddell being a member of the crowded group. So while the Pirates may not be necessarily planning to have Waddell making this switch, the experience is good for him to have.

“It’s a new experience, so it’s a lot of fun to see another part of the game, another aspect of pitching,” Waddell said. “As a starter, you have a very set routine that you can follow. You have as much time as you need. Whereas, in the bullpen, you need to get hot now. It’s been fun trying to figure out not getting hot too early, not having to rush. Finding that in-between is something I’ve enjoyed.”

For a guy who has been a starter his whole career, finding a routine that works out of the bullpen can be difficult. Waddell has found a few tips and tricks, including one simple approach.

“I think just focusing on what you’re trying to accomplish out there,” Waddell said. “Out of the pen, it’s trying to get your arm going, trying to get your body ready, and worrying less about — as a starter you’re worrying about timing, or the pitch coming out of your hand. In the pen, it’s more about getting ready, getting your body ready to go, and getting the most out of it as you can.”

Waddell is an interesting case of a starter pitching out of the bullpen. He doesn’t have a strong out pitch, but instead relies on a five pitch mix — four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. He still throws all of his pitches, and pitching out of the bullpen gives him the flexibility to go with the pitches that happen to be working that day. This is a different approach to starting, where if a pitch isn’t working, he needs to keep throwing it to establish another option and try to get it back on track.

So while Waddell doesn’t have the traditional “starter-turned-reliever” profile of a guy who could see an increase in velocity, with a strong breaking pitch, his flexibility to go with one of three off-speed pitches on any given day can help offset the lack of one strong pitch.

He does see a benefit with his velocity. He’s been mostly 88-92 MPH in the past, sitting lower with his sinker, and higher with his four-seam. He has touched higher than 92 with the latter fastball. During his time in the AFL, he has seen velocity in the low-90s, touching 94-95. But his focus is more about attacking the hitters with his fastball, regardless of his velocity.

“I think it’s just attacking,” Waddell said. “Velo, if it comes, it comes, and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I think it’s more about executing pitches, making quality pitches, whether you’re at 92 or 95, if you execute a pitch at 92, it’s going to be more than good enough.”

That all might sound a little cliché, but it has actually been a big focus for Waddell this season. He has been focused on getting more efficient, and that process involves attacking certain hitters, rather than being more of a control artist. Going to the bullpen might help Waddell if he has a future there, but the Pirates definitely hope it will help his quest to be more efficient.

“This whole year has been about efficiency,” Pirates pitching coach Justin Meccage said about Waddell. “I think out of the bullpen you really have to be efficient, just because you’re trying to get in and out of bats as quick as possible. It’s forced him to be in a little bit more of an attacking state of mind, instead of too much pitching where he has to be too fine.”

Meccage said that the goal for Waddell this year has been about lineup navigation, figuring out which hitters you can get out in one pitch, and which ones need four or five pitches.

“I think it’s that art, and then all of a sudden the inning is over in 12 to 13 pitches,” Meccage said. “As opposed to treating everybody the same. His four pitches are good enough that he can get some hitters out in one pitch or two. That’s what we’re looking for, efficiency-wise.”

Waddell has carried that focus over to the AFL, working on attacking hitters, and “trying not to be too fine.” He doesn’t want to be a power pitcher, but also doesn’t want to be a guy who nibbles on the edges of the plate.

The Pirates have about ten pitchers who could be starting options in Indianapolis this year. Waddell could get one of the rotation spots, although with all of the depth they have in the upper levels, it might be difficult for him to make the MLB rotation in Pittsburgh. Having some experience out of the bullpen will only help him in the future. What helps even more is working on his approach to be more aggressive with hitters, as that’s the right mentality to have if he has a future in relief.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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