Sloan’s first outing lasted just one inning. I didn’t review it. Last night, he gave us much more, and we had a pretty good angle. First look over a few of the sliders jumped off the video. I’m no dedicated follower of amateurs, but this isn’t the first time I’ve seen Sloan. The slider never caught my attention prior, but it flashed some surprising teeth. And developing a breaking ball game may be the key to Sloan’s development (and the element hopeful dynasty owners should probably pay closest attention to.) Here’s 55 of the 58 pitches on the night. He threw 41 strikes (71%) and earned 13 whiffs, six via slider, five via fastball, and 2 via changeup. Unclear if he was throwing two fastball variatals, but I don’t think he was. We didn’t get velocity shared here, but the fastball that gets a little armside run is said to get up to 98. This was a pretty good angle, and of course, we need to be aware of how angles can sometimes deceive, but the fastball wasn’t the most lively-looking heater. As you will see, there was a fourth pitch called twice, which appeared to be a try at a curveball. It did not come out looking like a curveball. The attack is basic here, and one you’re most likely not getting away with through a more advanced lineup, but the biggest takeaway here should be looks at the slider. It sure seems like this is a focal point for Sloan, and rightfully so. The slider flashes being a big time pitch here, in my opinion. I’d guess there’s already been strides made with it. You’ll see it still has a ways to go as well:
Sloan was a popular choice this FYPD season. I wasn’t too on board, but this outing has got me much more interested. Sloan’s operation looks fairly clean and is one to put some trust in. Consistency is key to any prospect, but this isn’t some wild card thrower. There’s a history with this organization helping young arms pitch to development. Sloan is showing the desire to do so in games as well. I’d venture to say Sloan’s stock (and game) is going to go as this slider goes.