Scouting Report

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

Upstate New York may not seem like a place to look for high-end baseball talent, but in the last several years, scouts have found some, from catcher Joe Mack, taken at the end of the first round in 2021 to Ian Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 Draft. The top talent from the area in 2022 is Kennedy, a young lefty with projection and a really good feel to pitch. That was on display across the summer, landing him a spot on USA Baseball’s 18U National Team and helping him stand out at events like the Area Code Games. He was slowed a bit early with a non-arm injury, but threw well once he got going in mid-April.

Kennedy has a solid three-pitch mix and a very advanced idea of how to use it. The 6-foot-1 southpaw doesn’t light up radar guns now, with a fastball that tops out at 92 mph, but it has good riding life up in the zone, he hides it well and he’s not afraid to go after hitters with it. He’ll miss bats consistently with his slider, a breaking ball he will throw in the upper-70s more often than not. He’s not afraid to throw his changeup to lefties and righties, thrown around 81 mph with good arm speed and deception.

A good athlete who exudes confidence on the mound, Kennedy holds runners well and repeats his delivery consistently, leading to excellent overall command. There’s more in the tank to come as he physically matures and that, along with the fact he’ll still be 17 at Draft time, should add interest in this LSU recruit.

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

New York's top high school prospect in 2022, Kennedy dropped to the fourth round because of his commitment to Louisiana State but signed with the Pirates for a well-over-slot $1 million. Pittsburgh handled him carefully and didn't turn him loose in full-season ball until 2024, when he pitched well at two Class A levels and posted a 95/19 K/BB ratio in 83 2/3 innings. The Guardians acquired him along with Luis Ortiz and lefty pitching prospect Josh Hartle in exchange for Spencer Horwitz at the Winter Meetings in December.

Kennedy has good feel for a legitimate three-pitch mix, even if he lacks true wow stuff at present. His fastball tops out at around 92 mph, though it plays up a bit because of deception in his delivery and life up in the zone. He also shows a two-seamer with some sink at times, though not consistently. His slider is his best pitch, a low-80s offering that misses bats and is particularly effective against left-handed hitters. He sells his changeup with decent arm speed and it will be an area of focus to improve that pitch and get more velocity separation from his fastball.

Kennedy’s ability to repeat his delivery, throw strikes and set up hitters creates a good foundation to be a big league starter, though at 6-foot-1, he doesn’t offer too much projection. There's hope that with natural maturation, there could be more in the tank, which could raise his ceiling. 

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

Kennedy was the top talent in upstate New York in the 2022 Draft, having put himself firmly on the map with a strong summer showcase circuit, including pitching for USA Baseball’s 18U National Team. He was throwing well as the spring wore on, but many teams thought his commitment to LSU was too tough of an obstacle. The Pirates went well over slot in the fourth round of last year’s Draft to overcome that, giving the high school lefty $1 million to sign.

Kennedy didn’t make his official debut in 2022, but the Pirates know they’ve gotten a prep arm with more of a college feel for pitching. He has a three-pitch mix, starting with a fastball that right now tops out at around 92 mph, but the combination of deception and riding life up in the zone helps it play up beyond the velocity. His upper-70s slider can miss bats, and he’ll throw his 80-81 mph changeup to all hitters, selling it with good arm speed.

With a repeatable delivery, Kennedy should be able to throw a lot of strikes and has already shown a feel for how to set up hitters. The ceiling might be a little limited because of his size, but as a young pitcher who turned just 18 last November, there should be some projection to come from physical maturity.

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

Upstate New York may not seem like a place to look for high-end baseball talent, but in the past several years, scouts have found some, from catcher Joe Mack, taken at the end of the first round in 2021 to Ian Anderson, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 Draft. The top talent from the area in 2022 was Kennedy, a young lefty with projection and a really good feel for pitching. That was on display across the summer, landing him a spot on USA Baseball’s 18U National Team and helping him stand out at events like the Area Code Games. He was slowed a bit early with a non-arm injury, but threw well once he got going in mid-April. The Pirates, who have found their own northeast high-school talent in the past in pitching prospect Mike Burrows, went above slot and gave Kennedy $1 million to sign him away from his LSU commitment.

Kennedy has a solid three-pitch mix and a very advanced idea of how to use it. The 6-foot-1 southpaw doesn’t light up radar guns now, with a fastball that tops out at 92 mph, but it has good riding life up in the zone, he hides it well and he’s not afraid to go after hitters with it. He’ll miss bats consistently with his slider, a breaking ball that reaches the upper 70s more often than not. He’s not afraid to throw his changeup to lefties and righties, thrown around 81 mph with good arm speed and deception.

A good athlete who exudes confidence on the mound, Kennedy holds runners well and repeats his delivery consistently, leading to excellent overall command. There’s more in the tank to come as he physically matures and he doesn’t turn 18 until November.

Awards

Baseball America Rookie All-Star

Year	Team
2023

FCL Pitcher of the Month

Month	Team
08/2023

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	12/12/2024	LHP Michael Kennedy assigned to Lake County Captains.
	12/10/2024	Cleveland Guardians traded 1B Spencer Horwitz to Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Luis L. Ortiz, LHP Michael Kennedy and LHP Josh Hartle.
	08/27/2024	LHP Michael Kennedy assigned to Greensboro Grasshoppers from Bradenton Marauders.
	08/02/2024	Bradenton Marauders activated LHP Michael Kennedy from the 7-day injured list.
	06/16/2024	Bradenton Marauders placed LHP Michael Kennedy on the 7-day injured list.
	09/09/2023	Bradenton Marauders activated LHP Michael Kennedy.
	09/02/2023	Bradenton Marauders transferred LHP Michael Kennedy to the Development List.
	09/01/2023	LHP Michael Kennedy assigned to Bradenton Marauders from FCL Pirates.
	04/27/2023	Pirates Organization activated LHP Michael Kennedy.
	11/08/2022	FCL Pirates activated LHP Michael Kennedy.
	11/08/2022	FCL Pirates activated LHP Michael Kennedy.
	08/04/2022	LHP Michael Kennedy assigned to FCL Pirates.
	07/27/2022	Pittsburgh Pirates signed LHP Michael Kennedy.
	06/05/2022	LHP Michael Kennedy assigned to College Workout.
	07/13/2021	PG National 3 - Gray activated LHP Michael Kennedy.