Boom-or-Bust: Cubs hope to unlock Pierce Coppola’s massive upside |
Dustin Riese
· · 5 hours ago
After going extremely outfield-heavy over their first six selections, the Cubs continued to stick with their plan in round seven as they began to focus on another area. This time it was the pitching front, as you can never have too many pitchers, as the Cubs selected University of Florida left-hander Pierce Coppola with the 211th overall pick in round seven.
Coppola was the first of three consecutive pitchers taken by the Cubs, beginning a run in which the Cubs drafted 10 pitchers out of 11 picks. Before we dive into Coppola and what he brings to the table, the first thing you notice with the left-hander is his sheer size, as he reminds the Cubs a lot of Luke Little. Standing at 6-8 and 245 pounds, not only does Coppola have plenty of size, but that is an intimidating figure to face on the mound, regardless of what level of baseball you are playing. As has been the case for many of the Cubs' pitching selections over the past few years, not only do they draft based on potential, but also experience, as Coppola has four years of college experience under his belt. The only problem with that is his lack of overall work during his four seasons, as he logged just 21 1/3 over seven appearances this past season. Injuries played a role in that, as the once top-100 prospect has fallen off the radar a bit despite dominating hitters in those 21 innings. Being 6’8″ with a long history of injuries makes Coppola an extreme risk as a prospect. Still, given his experience and the ability to sign him for less slot money than expected, it certainly is a risk worth taking. Before the injuries, Coppola was listed as the No. 90 overall prospect, and that alone goes to show how the MLB scouting world viewed him on the collegiate circuit. Someone who tends to sit in the 93 MPH range with his heater, Coppola has been touching 96 over the past two seasons, and that shouldn't surprise anyone when you look at his size on the mound. Not only was he limited to just 21 innings this past season, but during his time with Florida, a series of back and shoulder issues have limited him to a total of 49 innings, as there isn't a ton of mileage on that arm. Even with the limited number of innings, Coppola has shown flashes of dominance, and if he can stay healthy, he could become a real weapon for this organization. He posted a 2.53 ERA with a 46.7% strikeout rate and 9.8% walk rate over seven starts this season, which has to be considered elite. The strikeout numbers are especially noteworthy as he is striking out nearly half the hitters he is facing. While his fastball is going to be used a ton, Coppola is more than a one-pitch guy and mixes in several offspeed offerings to keep hitters honest. His slurvy upper-70s, low-80s breaking ball is his go-to secondary pitch, but he also has an infrequently used mid-80s changeup. If used correctly, those pitches can be used at any point in the count, which in turn keeps hitters guessing what pitch is coming. Despite being a starter this season, Coppola has had some command issues, especially with the fastball, as that will need to be ironed out at the professional level. You would also like to believe that his health is something the Cubs will monitor, as you could see him as a relief-only prospect, similar to what Little has become for the Cubs after he was drafted as a starter. Grade A: As difficult as this may be to believe, you have to like this pick for the Cubs as he has plenty of upside. Sure, you would love Coppola to blossom into more than just a reliever, but should he get his command right and stay healthy, he has the chance to be a dominating reliever. You have already seen what the Cubs have been able to do with guys like Daniel Palencia in the bullpen, as he went from a starter to a closer and has emerged as one of the game's best this season. Coppola could take a similar path to reaching the big leagues, and if that is the case, this is one of those picks that you will look back on and marvel at. Cubs take an upside play on Pierce Coppola, LHP from Florida. He is eligible a second year. Coppola is a massive (6’8”) and projectable lefty who has dealt with injuries. In a very small sample this season he had a 37% K-BB%. That’s frankly hilariouspic.twitter.com/HFcAq9KE2J
