BA GRADE
55
Risk: Medium
FB: 60.
CB: 50.
SL: 55.
CHG: 50.
CTL: 55.
Born: Oct. 15, 1995. B-T: 6-4. Ht.: 205. Wt.: 205. Drafted: HS—Los Angeles, 2014 (1st round). Signed by: Mike Garciaparra.
Flaherty was the definition of a projectable high school righthander when the Cardinals drafted him 34th overall in 2014. He possessed an alluring frame, polish and a feel for four pitches, but his velocity was yet to come. The velocity finally arrived in 2017 He filled out and began sitting 93-94 mph and touching 96 after previously working 90-92. The result was he missed more bats than ever, soared through the upper minors and made his big league debut on Sept. 1., joining former Harvard-Westlake High teammates Lucas Giolito and Max Fried as big leaguers.
Flaherty is extremely aggressive with his heavy fastball and uses it liberally. His pinpoint command and ability to add and subtract from it, combined with his velocity increase, make it a true plus pitch. His 83-86 mph slider leapt forward as well to become his primary secondary as an above-average pitch that generates swings and misses, and he has a 77-80 mph curveball to give batters a different look as well. Flaherty was projected to develop a plus changeup, but it is still an inconsistent pitch at 86-89 mph.
A rotation spot will be Flaherty’s for the taking in 2018. As long as he maintains his velocity increase and fine-tunes his secondaries, he should settle into the middle of the rotation.
Year |
Club (League) |
Class |
W |
L |
ERA |
G |
GS |
2015 |
Peoria (MWL) |
LoA |
9 |
3 |
2.84 |
18 |
18 |
2016 |
Palm Beach (FSL) |
HiA |
5 |
9 |
3.56 |
24 |
23 |
2017 |
Springfield (TL) |
AA |
7 |
2 |
1.42 |
10 |
10 |
|
Memphis (PCL) |
AAA |
7 |
2 |
2.74 |
15 |
15 |
|
St. Louis (NL) |
MAJ |
0 |
2 |
6.33 |
6 |
5 |
Major League Totals |
0 |
2 |
6.33 |
6 |
5 |
||
Minor League Totals |
29 |
17 |
2.77 |
75 |
72 |
||
Year |
Club (League) |
CG |
SV |
IP |
H |
HR |
2015 |
Peoria (MWL) |
0 |
0 |
95 |
92 |
2 |
2016 |
Palm Beach (FSL) |
0 |
0 |
134 |
129 |
8 |
2017 |
Springfield (TL) |
0 |
0 |
63 |
47 |
2 |
|
Memphis (PCL) |
0 |
0 |
85 |
73 |
10 |
|
St. Louis (NL) |
0 |
0 |
21 |
23 |
4 |
Major League Totals |
0 |
0 |
21 |
23 |
4 |
|
Minor League Totals |
0 |
0 |
400 |
359 |
23 |
|
Year |
Club (League) |
BB |
SO |
K/9 |
WHIP |
AVG |
2015 |
Peoria (MWL) |
31 |
97 |
9.2 |
1.29 |
.251 |
2016 |
Palm Beach (FSL) |
45 |
126 |
8.5 |
1.30 |
.254 |
2017 |
Springfield (TL) |
11 |
62 |
8.8 |
0.92 |
.205 |
|
Memphis (PCL) |
24 |
85 |
9.0 |
1.14 |
.233 |
|
St. Louis (NL) |
10 |
20 |
8.4 |
1.55 |
.284 |
Major League Totals |
10 |
20 |
8.4 |
1.55 |
.284 |
|
Minor League Totals |
115 |
398 |
8.9 |
1.18 |
.239 |
|