Name: Sean Brady
Position: Left-handed starting pitcher
Current team: Extended spring training
Age: 19
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 175
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
Facts & Info: Brady was selected in the fifth round of the 2013 Draft out of Ida S Baker High School (FL). He had a strong commitment to attend and play baseball at the University of Florida so the Indians had to go above and beyond with an $800,000 signing bonus to sign him. He was named the Fort Myers News-Press All-Area Baseball Player of the Year in addition to being named the Florida Athletic Coaches Association District 18 Most Valuable Player.
The Stuff: Brady has an advanced feel to pitch, commands and locates his pitches well, and has command of three potential major-league pitches. He features an 88-91 MPH fastball that has touched 93 MPH, and has the arm strength to add more velocity. His 77-78 MPH curveball has a chance to be a plus offering and is a pitch the Indians are really excited about. It is a polished offering that is his go-to secondary pitch because of the confidence he has in it, and is very effective and a tough pitch against lefties. He shows a good feel for his changeup that has the potential to be an average offering for him, and is a pitch he is making strides with the ability to command and throw it for strikes.
The Delivery: Brady is along the lines of Shawn Morimando and came in last year and pitched like the advanced high school lefty he was thought to be, flashing good stuff, lots of command and pitchability. What the Indians like most about him is the athleticism and clean action in his delivery which they believe will help him repeat it well and allow him to make easier adjustments down the road. He already throws a ton of strikes at a young age, and has the potential for plus command.
The Intangibles: Brady is calm and composed on the mound and just has a professional approach both on and off the field. He is a baseball-aholic who constantly thinks about the game and works to get better at it by working out, throwing and developing his mechanics and pitches.
The Focus: Brady's lack of size limits his upside as a starting pitching prospect, so the Indians are working on building his physical foundation, increasing his arm strength, and his durability so that he can maximize his talent and tap into the stuff and abilities he already has. His changeup could be the true separator between him staying a starter or moving into a relief role as he needs to develop more consistency with it so that he has an effective pitch in his arsenal to attack right-handed hitters.
The Future: Left-handed starters who throw strikes, miss bats, and pitch deep into a ballgame because they are efficient is something everyone is looking for. It will be interesting to not only see how Brady's stuff develops and what kind of success he has, but also if he can remain a starter by the time he gets into the upper levels of the system. He opened the season in extended spring training in order to monitor his workload on the front end and should soon join Low-A Lake County or go to short season Single-A Mahoning Valley when their season begins in two weeks.
