Pittsburgh Pirates Draft Player Preview: Nick Bitsko

Could the Pittsburgh Pirates look to surprise everyone and select a young prep pitcher instead of a college bat at pick number seven?

When the Pittsburgh Pirates are on the clock during Wednesday night’s 2020 MLB Draft, there will most likely be a trio of prep pitchers still available for the taking. That is, if general manager Ben Cherington decides he would like to go that direction instead of selecting a position player.

The first pitcher I would like to talk about being an off-the-board possibility for the Pittsburgh Pirates is Pennsylvania right-hander, Nick Bitsko. The 17-year old Philadelphia-area native decided to re-classify to the 2020 class to gauge interest and decide whether to attend the University of Virginia, or turn pro.

The interest will surely be there. Bitsko has all the tools to become a very successful starting pitcher at the major league level. Starting with his 6-foot-4 and 225 pound frame, he is already on the right path. The craziest thing about Bitsko is he’s only 17-years old and already has that frame to go along with his three-pitch arsenal consisting of a fastball that sits anywhere from 92-97 MPH with a possibility to add velocity, as he’s still maturing, a curveball, and a change up. Bitsko could also look to add another pitch to his already really good repertoire while in the minors.

Scouts have raved about his consistency for throwing strikes and working the zone to his advantage which isn’t as common in prep pitchers. While Bitsko is a pitcher, there is a little Steven Brault in him when it comes to the offensive side of the game. Nick loves hitting, has done pretty well at the plate in high school and has stated he would like to keep striving to succeed at the plate.

While Bitsko is a long shot and off-the-board pick to be the guy for the Pittsburgh Pirates at number seven, it would not by any means be a “bad” selection. There is a lot of promise in the young pitcher and whichever team selects him will be happy to get him if he signs.