Ryan Sloan Just Put The Baseball World On Notice In The Arizona Desert
The kid is 20 years old and already pitching like he owns the mound. Ryan Sloan took the ball Friday in Phoenix for the MLB Spring Breakout game and absolutely dominated the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system, which is literally ranked the best in baseball. Yeah, the Brewers still won 7-3, but Sloan was the story of that brutally hot afternoon where the first pitch temperature hit a balmy 103 degrees. This performance is only going to push his stock higher, and Mariners fans should be paying attention.
Three Innings of Pure Dominance
Sloan threw three perfect innings against one of the toughest lineups a young pitcher could face. He struck out one batter per inning, induced weak contact whenever the ball was in play, and his command was absolutely pinpoint. The kid had presence on the mound that you normally don't see from a 20-year-old. His four-seamer touched 99 mph, his slider looked diabolical, and his cutter came in at 92 mph and had lefties bailing out of the box.
The numbers back it up too. Sloan threw 39 pitches with 24 strikes, and 18 of those were swinging strikes. According to MLB Statcast, the six balls the Brewers did put in play had an average exit velocity of just 69.2 mph. That's not just good pitching. That's elite stuff. His pitch mix was dialed in: 31 percent slider usage, 28 percent sinker, and 26 percent four-seam fastball.
Already One of Baseball's Best Prospects
Sloan is ranked No. 33 in all of baseball and No. 6 among right-handed pitchers by MLB Pipeline. What he showed Friday? It should push him even higher. The guy has added a new cutter this offseason, something he dabbled with last season but has now refined enough to throw with confidence as a regular part of his arsenal.
Justin Toole, the Mariners' player development director, wasn't shy about his praise. "He did a great job with dominating the zone, getting ahead, tons of strikes. And this year, the stuff is ticked up and the strikes are still there," Toole said. "The maturity level and things that you see from him are not normal for a 20-year-old. I think that's probably the most exciting part."
Sloan's mindset was sharp too. "I kind of just went into it with the mindset of I'm not going to let the environment dictate my process," he said. Even in 103-degree heat, drinking endless water and dealing with cold towels, the kid stayed locked in. That's the kind of mental toughness that separates prospects from future big leaguers.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.