Miami's MLB Draft Board: Left-Handed Pitcher Rafe Schlesinger
CORAL GABLES - Another pitcher for the Hurricanes will test their skills in the 2024 MLB Draft as left-handed pitcher Rafe Schlesinger stock rises as the draft approaches.
READ MORE: Miami's MLB Draft Board: Right-Handed Pitcher Gage Ziehl
Coming into his third season for the Hurricanes, 6-3, 200 pounds Schlesinger was one of the most consistent pitchers the Hurricanes relied upon. In his first two seasons, he averaged an ERA of 3.38 with a 4-1 record and proved to be an ace in troubled times in the first 43 games of his Hurricanes career. A jump in production and utilization was the natural calling card for his junior year but with the increase, came a misstep in his play.
He finished his 2024 campaign with a ERA of 5.33 but was close to tripling his innings played compared to his sophomore year (29.1 vs. 78.2). He can be a big-time arm but honing in on some of his craft will be something scouts and pitching coaches will have for worry about when taking a chance on him.
Fastball sits at 93 mph, topping at 97 mph.
Throws slider hard in the mid 80s and changeup sitting in the upper 80s.
He can provide some uncomfortable at-bat for hitters, but it’s also led to inconsistent pitch execution and command, though he’s done a better job of finding the strike zone this spring. He’ll need that changeup against right-handed hitters.
Now where will Schlesinger likely land in the MLB Draft?
Currently, the MLB prospect rankings have the left-handed pitcher ranked as the No. 147 prospect in the 2024 class. If going by the order of the draft with his placement, he would likely be drafted to the Detroit Tigers who are currently 43-49. Now, The Tigers have a strong pitching core of ace Tarik Skubal, Kenta Maeda, and Jack Flaherty so pitching might not be in the direction the team will go. Some can see a number of teams trade up for the LHP if he starts to slip on many draft boards.
He has a nasty arm that if honed in, could be a starter in the league in no time. He will need to work on his consistency with his velocity in his release, but nothing that can't be fixed with some work in the minors.
