The Pittsburgh Pirates have drafted left-handed pitcher Brandon Waddell from the University of Virginia in the 5th round. He’s a 6′ 3″, 180 pound left-hander who just turned 21 last Wednesday. That makes him similar to third round pick Casey Hughston, in that they’re both a bit younger than most college players coming out of the draft.
Waddell has a fastball that can reach 92 MPH, but mostly sits in the upper 80s. He’s struggled with command at times, and MLB.com says that’s due to pitch selection and a blister issue. That’s a good sign, since it might be an easier thing to fix, as opposed to something that requires a mechanical adjustment. Waddell has potential with his 11-to-5 curveball, and a late moving cutter. Jonathan Mayo said that he has three average pitches, and Baseball America called his stuff “pretty vanilla”, but said he has deception with his delivery. He was rated 343rd by BA, and 163rd by MLB.
UVA will be playing in the College World Series this weekend, so there could be a chance to watch Waddell pitch. He most likely wouldn’t sign until after UVA is eliminated, although that would keep him fresh to the point where he could jump right in to the Morgantown rotation. He looks like a guy who has a shot at being a back of the rotation starter or a middle reliever.
