The Brewster

Moar Pitches!

10/25/2063

The Pilots discovered the right-hander Brodie Wedemeyer in July of 2059, plucking the New South Wales product out from under the nose of the Sharks and putting him in their international complex. He didn't stay there long, as the Pilots tossed him into the deep end of the pool, where he thrived. The sixteen-year-old Brodie made 6 starts for the rookie league club that year, posting a 77 FIP-.

The earliest in-game scouting report that we have access to for Wedemeyer, from almost a year after his professional debut, suggests a very raw talent, with a future value of 40, and an overall rating of 5, which doesn't exactly scream 'ready for rookie ball'. Pitching potential ratings were 6/5/3, while actuals were 2/3/1.

This is what his official scouting report has to say:

He should feature a devastating fastball as well as a wipeout slider at his peak. Everyone raves about his elite stuff. Wedemeyer should fill out as a mid-rotation arm. Nothing special, but still a useful piece.

A major league mid-rotation arm should be a top of the rotation arm in the GBC. Wedemeyer's current official future value is 45 (recently downgraded from a 50, not sure why), with potential scores of 9/5/4. His current overall value is rated at 35. Brodie's velocity currently tops out at 98 mph, where it is likely to stay for the foreseeable future. His stuff rating crept up a point last season, from 4 to 5. His stamina is rated at 5, which isn't great, but he averaged 5.9 innings per start last season during stints in Class A, AA, and AAA. What stands out with him is his pitch arsenal; six pitches, all of which project to be above average. The fastball, curveball, and slider all project to be a 10 or better. He's a guy who could have serious swing and miss stuff with a variety of strikeout pitches.

Wedemeyer's current pitching ratings of 5/4/2 suggest that there's still a good deal of work to be done. Four of his eight starts in AAA last year were quality starts, and his FIP- of 92 suggests that while he wasn't over-matched, there is still room for improvement.

Brodie has not had a good experience in the Pilots' development complex. Efforts to improve his movement and control in '61 and '62 were both unsuccessful. Sao Paulo held him out of the complex in 2063, even though Wedemeyer was healthy that offseason. The wide gap between his stuff potential and current rating, as well as an unimpressive control rating, could be addressed this offseason, assuming the parent club hasn't given up hope. Expect him to start the year in AAA while he tries to put it together in his age 21 season.

Wedemeyer's makeup is pretty good, with a high adaptability and work ethic. This may be what allowed him to successfully transition into professional ball at such a young age. His injury proneness is reckoned to be 'Normal'. He's never suffered an injury of more than seven days' duration.