Ryan Pettys comes to FSU as one of the very best arms in Florida. The freshman was rated the second best LHP in the state out of Mosley high school and the 145th best player in the nation. Heading into the 2020 season, Perfect Game has the lefty ranked as the 16th best freshman in the conference. The lefty has a lanky frame, standing 6’2 and weighing just 166 pounds. With so much room to add muscle and a fastball that already reaches the low 90’s, Pettys is one of the more projectable pitchers on FSU’s roster.
The freshman boasts a three-pitch mix heading into the 2020 season. Pettys’ fastball will sit in the 89-91 MPH range and top out at 92 MPH. The fastball can jump on hitters up in the zone as he does a decent job of hiding the ball behind his hip. The lefty’s best pitch is his big wipeout curveball. Pettys’ curveball is a true knee-buckler, just look at some of the takes in the video below. The freshman also has a changeup that comes in around the high 70’s. The changeup is the pitch that needs the most development over his freshman year. If he can develop the changeup, he’ll have true three-pitch mix that allows him to get out righties and lefties.
The LHP can miss bats at a pretty high rate, as he struck out five batters in three innings of work in fall ball. He also avoids hard contact with the big breaker, as he gave up just one hit in his two appearances. As for a lot of freshmen pitchers, Pettys will have to work on finding the zone at a more consistent rate. In three innings of work in the fall, the freshman dished out three free passes. As he gets more comfortable facing college hitters and more innings on the hill, I’d expect him to find the zone at a higher rate.
I’d expect Pettys to be another left-handed specialist in FSU’s pen in 2020. The fastball-curveball combo is extremely effective versus left-handed hitters and can keep even the best lefties off balance. With so many veteran lefty arms, it could be hard for the freshman to find lots of innings, but he may have a good amount of appearances as he comes in to get one or two lefties out. The future is bright for Pettys if he can hit the weight room and develop that third pitch to round out his arsenal. As for now, good luck dealing with that breaking ball lefties.