Sunday’s game in the Arizona Fall League between the Scottsdale Scorpions and Glendale Desert Dogs was suspended after half an inning. That half inning was all Khristian Curtis needed for a standout performance.
Curtis, drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 12th round in 2023 out of Arizona State, got the start for Scottsdale. The game was delayed by rain at the outset, and the inning wasn’t the cleanest. When it returned, it returned long enough for Curtis to strike out the side in a scoreless frame.
The inning wasn’t the cleanest, for Curtis or the defense. There was a dropped pop up in foul territory against the first batter, resulting in an error on Scottsdale third baseman Jacob Reimer. That batter singled to record the lone hit off Curtis.
Curtis responded with back-to-back strikeouts, getting both batters swinging. His ability for swing and miss is what makes Curtis an interesting prospect to follow, but his control has been what has held him back. Those control issues showed up briefly with a wild pitch to the final batter of the inning, moving a runner to second. Curtis got the final batter looking to end the frame. The rain resumed and ended his day.
Between his time in the AFL and the Single-A Bradenton Marauders this season, Curtis has pitched more innings in 2024 than he did in his entire NCAA career. He’s got a mid-90s fastball and a few swing and miss offerings in his six pitch mix. This is a case where I’d chalk up the control issues to a lack of experience. Curtis just doubled his experience on the mound in 2024, and there were a lot of outings like this where he showed his potential to shut down opposing lineups. I’d expect he will show more of the upside, and fewer control issues, as he gets more experience on the mound.
Scottsdale plays Peoria on Monday at 3:30 PM EST.
