Pat Venditte: Switch Pitcher

This kid is a switch pitcher in the Yankee farm system. That's so...crazy. I don't even have words for it.

almost 3 years ago loyal2theroyals 11 comments 0 recs |

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Yeah, he also got some ink...

when he was pitching for Creighton. One of my friends was at Creighton at the time, said he was a really great guy. I imagine watching the guy pitch is just something else.

by DarthYoshi on May 9, 2009 2:20 AM EDT reply actions

I assume we've all seen the video of that bizarre AB last fall

in the minors, where the batter kept switching sides?

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on May 9, 2009 2:24 AM EDT reply actions

Yes.

I’ve been following him since his college days in Creighton, because of how crazy th is all is.

Actually, though, is there video? I just read the game story, describing the minutes-long back-and-forth.

by rockchalk on May 9, 2009 2:35 PM EDT up reply actions

I saw Pat pitch in college quite a bit. He’s the real deal. I haven’t seen him since, but from what I hear, it sounds like he’s improved a little. So far, it looks like the Yankees are content to kind of let him dominate in leagues below his skill level. I really have no idea how this whole player development thing works, but I really hope it’s not because they don’t really see him as a serious prospect.

by Trey Hillman's Chin on May 9, 2009 8:25 AM EDT reply actions

From what I understand...

tools-wise, he should be seen as a serious prospect. As Reilly noted, Venditte’s right-handed fastball sits at around 90 (which is slightly above MLB average in terms of velocity), and he has a plus curve from that side as well. I’m not sure how quality his left-handed pitches are, but even an exclusively right-handed pitcher with a decent fastball and a plus curve is a top-20 prospect in most farm systems. Reilly also characterizes Venditte’s right-handed changeup as “nice,” I don’t know if that means that the changeup is also a plus pitch. But from everything I’ve read, Venditte should be taken seriously as a mid-level prospect. He isn’t just a gimmick.

by DarthYoshi on May 9, 2009 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

righty prospect + LOOGY

When I saw him in college, he didn’t have that right handed changeup, although I think he might have been working on it his senior year. When the Yankees drafted him the first time, I know they said something about him projecting well even just as a right hander. Velocity on the left side was something he was working on too his senior year, and I haven’t heard any recent reports about it, but his splits against lefties seem to indicate he’s doing alright as a LOOGY.

by Trey Hillman's Chin on May 9, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

I think his velocity is still significantly less from the left than from the right

His lefthanded fastball is in the low-to-mid 80s, but his lefthanded slider is apparently not too shabby. It does sound like his better stuff is from the right side, though.

by DarthYoshi on May 9, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions

A brief analysis of Venditte

here

Of course, Cameron is no Rick Reilly

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on May 9, 2009 11:16 AM EDT reply actions

he was in my daughter's graduation class from Omaha Central High School

not a breeding ground for major league baseball players

"Things could always be worse." - Buddy Bell

by buddyball on May 9, 2009 8:45 PM EDT reply actions

thankfully for you and your daughter

I'm not a sabermetrician, but I do play one at Driveline Mechanics.

by Matt Klaassen on May 9, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Home school

Yeah, but before high school, he was home-schooled, and instead of book larnin, the Vendittes spent most of the day in their batting cage teaching their son to be ambidextrous. Home school could be a breeding ground for MLB players if you want it to be.

by Trey Hillman's Chin on May 10, 2009 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions