Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45 

Birdsell first put himself on scouting radars when he reached the low 90s as a Willis High (Texas) freshman in 2015, but he blew out his elbow as a sophomore and missed his junior season following Tommy John surgery. After turning down the Astros as a 39th-round pick in 2018, he pitched just 71 1/3 innings at three different colleges over the next three years: seven as a little-used reliever at Texas A&M, 29 before the pandemic ended his 2020 season at San Jacinto JC (Texas) and 35 1/3 last year before straining his rotator cuff in April. He avoided surgery, spurned the Twins as an 11th-rounder and won Big 12 Conference pitcher of the year honors this spring with the Red Raiders. 

Birdsell's fastball sits at 94-96 mph and peaks at 99, though its velocity stands out more than its armside run and gets hit when he catches too much of the plate. He misses more bats with his slider, which features good depth in the mid-80s and more cutter action when he throws it in the upper 80s. He doesn't use his hard upper-80s changeup very often but it's an effective third offering with significant fade when it's on. 

Though Birdsell doesn't have a smooth delivery, he repeats it easily and throws strikes. His stuff is worthy of the top three rounds, but his medical history concerns clubs and he has yet to prove he's durable enough to hold up in the rotation over a longer pro season. He has the upside of a No. 3 or 4 starter and could become a setup man if he winds up in the bullpen. 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

Birdsell first attracted scouts when he reached the low 90s as a Texas high school freshman, but he blew out his elbow as a sophomore and missed his junior season following Tommy John surgery. He spurned the Astros as a 39th-rounder in 2018, barely pitched as a freshman at Texas A&M, spent a year at San Jacinto (Texas) JC and then strained his rotator cuff at Texas Tech in 2021. After avoiding surgery and turning down the Twins as an 11th-rounder that year, he returned to the Red Raiders, won Big 12 Conference pitcher of the year honors and finally turned pro as a fifth-rounder with the Cubs in 2022. He reached Double-A in his pro debut last year and contributed a postseason victory as Tennessee won the Southern League title.

Birdsell's fastball sits at 93-96 mph and can reach 99, comes with plenty of carry and he commands it well. His best secondary offering is a mid-80s slider with good depth. He favors his upper-70s curveball with similar shape against left-handers and also has a below-average upper-80s changeup that will flash some fade on occasion.

Though he has a stiff delivery, Birdsell repeats his mechanics well, throws plenty of strikes and locates his fastball where he wants. His medical history may have knocked him down a couple of rounds in the 2022 Draft, but he's not too far away from helping the Cubs as a back-of-the-rotation starter or multi-inning reliever. If Chicago shifts him to the latter role, he could arrive in Wrigley Field later this year.

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Birdsell pushed his fastball into the low 90s as a Willis (Texas) High freshman but blew out his elbow as a sophomore and missed his junior season following Tommy John surgery. He regained his stuff in 2018 and could have gone in the top 10 rounds on talent, but his Texas A&M commitment pushed him down to the Astros in the 39th round. He worked just seven innings in his lone year with the Aggies, prompting a transfer to San Jacinto (Texas) JC, where he pitched well enough to give him a chance to become the first junior college player selected in 2020.

Birdsell opened his sophomore season by working in the low 90s before dealing at 94-95 mph and peaking at 97 in his final start of the season, demonstrating more downhill plane than life on his fastball. After featuring a loopy breaking ball in high school and not showing much more feel for spin at Texas A&M, he has come up with a mid-80s slider/cutter and a low-80s power slurve. He shows glimpses of at least an average changeup with some fade but doesn't use it often.

He doesn't come with much track record -- just 36 innings in two college seasons -- but Birdsell has the ingredients to become a big leaguer. He has a strong frame and a low-effort delivery that provides plenty of strikes. If he doesn't sign this summer, he'll pitch at Texas Tech in 2021.

Awards

SOU Pitcher of the Week

Week	Team
06/02/2024

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	07/10/2024	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Iowa Cubs from Tennessee Smokies.
	03/07/2024	Chicago Cubs Prospects activated RHP Brandon Birdsell.
	08/11/2023	Tennessee Smokies activated RHP Brandon Birdsell.
	08/04/2023	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Tennessee Smokies from South Bend Cubs.
	04/05/2023	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to South Bend Cubs.
	07/24/2022	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to ACL Cubs.
	07/23/2022	Chicago Cubs signed RHP Brandon Birdsell.
	02/08/2022	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Texas Tech Red Raiders.
	02/08/2022	Texas Tech Red Raiders activated RHP Brandon Birdsell.
	02/01/2021	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Texas Tech Red Raiders.
	02/01/2021	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Texas Tech Red Raiders.
	03/01/2019	RHP Brandon Birdsell assigned to Texas A&M Aggies.