Around the Curve | 2024 Spring Break Young Bucs Edition: Sean Sullivan Looks To Build On Strong 2023 Season In Altoona

This story is part of the series 2024 Spring Break: Young Bucs Edition, a compilation of reports from Bradenton leading up to Opening Day.

BRADENTON, Fla. – One of the major focuses for the Pirates this spring is the development of their pitching depth in the organization as they build toward the 2024 campaign. Invited to his first major league spring training this year, 2023 Curve right-hander Sean Sullivan put his name on the map with his campaign in Altoona a year ago.

Sullivan, who made three appearances with the Pirates this spring, took nearly every turn in the Altoona rotation a year ago and tossed a career-best 113.2 innings while sporting a 3.88 ERA. He ranked 6th in the Eastern League in ERA, 8th in batting average against (.245), 6th in WHIP (1.27) and allowed 2 runs or fewer in 13-of-21 starts.

However, he described his 2023 season as a bit of an experiment in terms of his pitch mix.

Following his debut season at Greensboro in 2022, Sullivan used the feedback from hitters to change his pitch mix from using a taller overhand curveball and shorter slider to using a sweeping slider and a cut fastball to complement his low-90’s heater and change-up. Then with a fresh round of information at his fingertips this off-season, he once again went back into the pitching lab to determine his best mix for 2024.

“I’ve made a few mechanical adjustments to try to get my pitch shapes back to where they were in 2022,” Sullivan relayed on a bench at Pirate City on a sunny Wednesday afternoon. “I think my fastball was a little more optimized in 2022 and I think a little more vertical break on the heater is definitely going to help me out.”

“Last year in Altoona I started to work a little more east-west and I had some success, but, I’m going to use what I learned from that season and incorporate it into what I’ve been doing this off-season,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan’s three appearances with the Pirates this spring saw him surrender seven runs, a lesson that he’s happy to learn.

“I had my struggles in big league camp, I was getting hit around a little and that’s a huge learning experience. That’s kind of why I was there was to soak up that information and get feedback from what I’ve been working on this off-season. I may not have gotten the results that I wanted, but that feedback has been priceless and I’m going to use that feedback to get better and hone in on those skills for the rest of camp,” Sullivan said.

One of Sullivan’s biggest takeaways has been a lesson delivered from Pirates catcher Yasmani Grandal.

“His reminder to me that our job as a pitcher, is to just get outs – don’t try to get strikeouts. Because when you try to get strikeouts the at-bats get elongated and then you end up with more walks,” Sullivan said. “If you just try to get outs and put pitches where they’re supposed to be, strikeouts will come.”

Sometimes all it takes to be successful is a reminder of the basics.

Curve Cuts

• Wednesday saw Curve minor leaguers take the field for a six-inning intrasquad game that featured lefties Jackson Wolf and Martin Perez facing off on the mound. The Double-A group will begin minor league games on Thursday with a match-up at Sarasota against the Orioles.
• Several Curve players will get the chance to participate in MLB’s Spring Breakout Game on Thursday night at LECOM Park against the Orioles. It is anticipated that Paul Skenes will start for the Pirates with left-hander Cade Povich slated to start for the Orioles. For the full roster, click here. Thursday’s Spring Breakout game will be televised by SportsNet Pittsburgh with Greg Brown and Kevin Young on the call. MLB Network will also carry the game.
• 2022-23 Altoona Coach Blake Butler will manage at High-A Greensboro this season. Butler is looking forward to his first managerial appointment as an instructor after two seasons working as Altoona’s Integrated Baseball Performance Coach where he helped players digest analytical information and worked as an Assistant Hitting Instructor. Blake, who was born in Greensboro, NC, and his wife Lauren welcomed their first child, Brooks, this past off-season.
• 2023 Curve left-hander Anthony Solometo split his off-season working out in his native South Jersey, working out at Tread, a Metric-Driven Baseball Performance company in North Carolina and at Pirate City as he worked to fine tune his change-up to go with his mid-90’s fastball and slider. A noted Philadelphia Eagles fan, Solometo absolutely loves the Saquan Barkley signing for the Eagles.
• Right-hander Brad Case is getting ready for his sixth season of professional baseball, but with a brand new throwing motion. After making 14 appearances with the Curve last season, Case has now taken to throwing side arm where he can take advantage of his ability to sink the ball dramatically. After spending time this off-season at Tread in North Carolina, he has found a new confidence on the mound with his new delivery.
• A name to track for the future, starting pitcher Thomas Harrington, will get off to a slower start this season. Harrington was slated to participate in the Spring Breakout game this week, but according to Pirates Manager Derek Shelton he’s dealing with some right shoulder soreness. Harrington is a pitcher that could make his way to Altoona during the 2024 season.