Sunday afternoon, on what has to be the warmest day in several years in the Maryland area, I ventured up to Bowie to watch the Baysox host the Harrisburg Senators, Washington’s Double-A affiliate. In particular I wanted to seize the opportunity to watch intriguing right-handed pitching prospect Nick Pivetta, along with observing Ryan Zimmerman’s first game of his rehabilitation assignment. Zimmerman looked to be in midseason form, going 1-2 with a sharp single to right field before being lifted in the 4th inning. Conversely Pivetta wilted like a tomato plant in the summer heat, allowing 7 runs on 7 hits over 4 innings pitched, which helped send the home fans happy with a 7-2 victory over Harrisburg.

Washington’s 4th round pick in the 2013 draft, the 22-year-old Pivetta has a prototypical, monstrous pitcher’s frame at 6-5 220lbs. He possesses a relatively clean and simple pitching motion; however Pivetta struggles to maintain his delivery as he often over-rotates his hips, causing him to fly open and lose his release point. This weakness hinders his fastball command and the overall consistency of his offspeed pitches, not to mention his ability to pitch deep into his outings.

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Despite the poor results I left Sunday’s contest with a relatively favorable impression of Mr. Pivetta. Although his outing was cut short, he still managed to show an above-average to plus fastball and the potential for two average future off-speed pitches. Furthermore he owns a durable, projectable body with room to add some additional muscle.

Without question Pivetta still has obvious weaknesses, as he needs to improve the consistency of his mechanics, which when coupled with additional experience on the mound, should improve his fastball command and offspeed offerings. He is still raw but with three potential average or better pitches and a starter’s body, Pivetta projects as a #4/5 starter down the road. Pivetta is a nice arm for the Nationals to continue to develop and likely a coveted name in trade discussions this month.

* Thanks to Matt Wilson and the Bowie Baysox for their continued hospitality. *