The Pittsburgh Pirates have drafted Minnesota LHP Connor Wietgrefe with their seventh round pick, 204th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft. Wietgrefe was not in the Baseball America top 500, nor the MLB Pipeline top 250.
Connor Wietgrefe, LHP, Minnesota
Age: 22 | DOB: 6/6/2002 | HT: 6′ 2″ | WT: 200 | B/T: R/L
2024 Stats
Wietgrefe moved to the starting rotation in Minnesota this year, putting up a 2.77 ERA in 78 innings. He had a 74:26 K/BB, showing improvement in his control. He went to the Cape Cod league following the season, allowing one run in 11 innings across two starts, with a 12:1 K/BB.
The Mechanics
He throws from a three-quarters arm slot, with a crossfire delivery that adds deception against left-handed hitters.
The Pitches
Compiling the Baseball America and MLB Pipeline reports on Wietgrefe.
Fastball (50): The fastball sits low 90s, getting up to 94, working with both a two-seam and four-seam. He can change eye levels with the pitch, moving it around and on the edge of the zone.
Slider (55): His slider sits low-80s, with advanced feel for the pitch with sweeping action. It generates a lot of his swing and miss, thrown from a lower arm slot.
Cutter (45): He throws a cutter, but mostly gets results from the fastball and slider.
Changeup (45): The changeup is another pitch that lacks shape and movement to be a quality third offering.
Control (50): Wietgrefe showed improvements in his walk rate in 2024, and shows good command with his fastball.
Overall (40+): Wietgrefe needs a third pitch, but has an average fastball that he commands throughout the zone with swing and miss potential, and a slider that can get swing and miss. The two pitch mix gives him a reliever profile, but the improved control and strikeouts from a low arm slot should have the Pirates keeping him in the rotation in the lower levels to develop his stuff further.
