Michael LoPresti

MICHAEL LOPRESTI, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: October 22, 1996
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 220
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 18th Round, 534th Overall, 2018
How Acquired: Draft
College: St Johns University
Agent: N/A

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE
LoPresti is a typical Pirates pick, as a 6’4″ right-handed pitcher.  He was a three-year starter at St Johns, where he improved his stats each season.  He wasn’t a strikeout pitcher, but threw strikes and limited the damage.  In 77 innings in 2018, LoPresti had a 3.16 ERA, a .255 BAA and a 55:29 SO:BB ratio. He went undrafted out of high school despite good size and an 88 MPH fastball at the time.

2018
A-:  2-4-0, 5.33 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 49.0 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 4.0 K/9

LoPresti joined the West Virginia rotation and had a rough time.  Opponents batted 341/403/488 against him.  He also missed very few bats and didn’t improve as the season went along.

2019
A-:  0-1-2, 1.32 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 13.2 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 9.2 K/9
A:  1-0-1, 9.56 ERA, 2.44 WHIP, 16.0 IP, 5.1 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

The Pirates sent LoPresti back to West Virginia, where he pitched in relief.  He improved dramatically over the previous year and, in mid-July, the Pirates moved him up to Greensboro.  That didn’t go well at all.  Opponents blistered him for a .405 average and he also had control problems.

LoPresti has mostly had a rough time so far.  He’ll probably return to Greensboro in 2020.
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2020: Minor league contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $100,000
MiLB Debut: 2018
MLB Debut:
MiLB FA Eligible: 2024
MLB FA Eligible:
Rule 5 Eligible:  2021
Added to 40-Man:
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 6, 2018: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 18th round, 534th overall pick; signed on June 12.