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College  | Story  | 3/7/2020

College Notebook: March 7

Connor Spencer      Steve Fiorindo     
Photo: Kyle Hurt (USC Athletics)

College Notebooks: Feb. 28 | Feb. 29 | March 1 | March 6 | College Player Database | College Player Rankings

Players covered: Zachary Pettway (UCLA), Holden Powell (UCLA), Kumar Rocker (Vanderbilt), Sam Hliboki (Vanderbilt), Kyle Hurt (USC), Benjamin Wanger (USC), Haylen Green (TCU), Johnny Ray (TCU)



Zachary Pettway, RHP, UCLA

Pettway came into his junior season with high expectations as the second year Friday night ace for the Bruins. So far this season, he’s lived up to the hype and then some as he’s started 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA through his first four starts. Pettway is not a pitcher that will blow guys away with overpowering stuff, however, he has plus pitchability, and he’s constantly working his arsenal away from hitters. His fastball sat 88-90 mph while touching 91 mph and what makes his fastball unique is his ability to cut and run his fastball on command. He’ll run his fastball away from left-handed bats, then he’ll cut his fastball away from right-handed bats.

He showed two different breaking balls again like he did in the pre-season, although he’s starting to lean more on the curveball as it has more late bite down when out in front. His curveball has more of a high 11-to-5 shape with good vertical break and comes in around 75 mph, while his slider comes in around 80 mph and possesses a low 11-to-5 to high 10-to-4 shape. Pettway does have a good changeup as well that sits around 82 mph, but he reserves the pitch for left-handed bats and would much rather pitch with his breaking ball.

His slightly janky motion after separation does create some deception in his delivery to the plate. Although it isn’t the smoothest delivery in the world, his high front side whips his arm up to the slot as he changes the plane of his upper half down the mound and makes for a tough window for the hitter. Moreover, he comes slightly closed at the top of his mid-leg lift then pushes out towards third base before opening late down the hill. It’s a far tougher look for right-handed hitters, especially when he shows the confidence to run his fastball in onto their hands.

Pettway was able to keep the defending national champs on their toes for most of the night with his stay away game plan. He fills up the zone with consistency, sticks to his overall plan, and understands how to generate outs. It’s hard for scouts to ignore his production on the mound, and he continues to improve his draft stock with every outstanding performance he has on the hill.


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