From Jim Baumbach:
The curiosity that led the Yankees to draft ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte last June has quickly been replaced by intrigue. And that’s as good an indication as there is of just how impressive Venditte’s debut season as a professional switch pitcher was….
And the Yankees love that Venditte is a completely different pitcher, righthanded compared to lefthanded.
“As a righthander, he’s got an average fastball and a decent breaking ball,” Newman said. “He’s got decent stuff. As a lefthander, he’s a specialist. It’s more finesse.”
Venditte is expected to start this season with Class-A Charleston, and he said his goals are to develop a changeup from both sides and throw more fastballs as a lefthander. And, of course, experience the same type of success that he had last season, when he compiled a 0.82 ERA and struck out 42 in 322/3 innings.
Venditte is considered a fringe prospect, someone who does not have any startlingly good skills with either arm. However, the Yankees drafted Pat in consecutive MLB drafts, suggesting that they see something in him that others do not. If he did ever make it to the majors, he would be a huge asset. Consider the fact that he can pitch two innings as a righty one night, and still be available the next night as a lefty. He would always be matched up against a batter’s weaker side, which gives him an advantage over any other reliever who may be pulled mid-inning to gain a platoon advantage. Venditte making the majors would be quite the spectacle, and would be great fun to watch. I’m definitely rooting for him.
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7 Responses to The Amazing Pat Venditte
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TIQ IQ
Haven’t had a chance to see him but, I’ll see him this summer! Like to see how well he realy pitches…not the rhetoric.
Another part of the tease with him is that he theoretically could pitch every day. One day from the right side and one from the left. But his stuff from both sides is subpar, so I just don’t see it happening. Would be fun, though.
Yup! This is one of those; “I’ve gotta see it to believe it”.
I don’t know why the Yanks picked him twice!
You guys have obviously never seen him from the left side because nobody mentioned his sick slider. It floats across the entire plate a la Jeff Nelson. You are right in saying that he’s a fringe prospect and I would go further to say that he might even have to stop throwing left handed. But that is more because of his low 80′s fastball from the left side and nothing to do with his great slider.
That pitch alone made it worth watching him last season.
The slider might be why he is viable as a lefty specialist.
I think Pat is a much better pitcher then people give him credit. In fact I say that most places reporting on how he pitches get their information wrong and think he is just a side-show.
Pat has three pitches from the right side
a high-80s fastball that touches 90s
Changeup
Curveball
and he now has three pitches from the left side instead of two he had in his first pro-season
a mid-80s fastball
a nasty slider and I don’t think anyone has even put wood on yet
and now a change up which he began to start using at the end of last season.
Thanks for the heads-up. I’ll take a hard look at him this summer, now I’ll know what to look for…thanks!