Travis Sykora Stats & Scouting Report

IP	85
ERA	2.33
WHIP	.91
BB/9	2.86
SO/9	13.66

Full name Travis Sykora
Born 04/28/2004 in Round Rock, TX
Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Round Rock (Texas) HS
Drafted in the 3rd round (71st overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2023 (signed for $2,600,000).

View Draft Report

School: Round Rock (Texas) HS Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.2
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.

It’s almost a given that the state of Texas will annually produce a physical and hard-throwing righthanded pitcher. The 2023 version of that pitcher is Sykora, who possesses the hardest-thrown fastball in the high school class and stands at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds. Sykora is an athletic mover on the mound who has a simple delivery and throws from a three-quarter slot with a tick of head whack and recoil. In shorter outings during the 2022 showcase circuit, Sykora pitched in the upper 90s and has already touched 101 mph. The pitch has hard running life at times but has overwhelmed prep hitters on pure velocity alone. Sykora’s secondaries include a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s split-changeup. Both are pitches that need continued development but have flashed some promise at times. The slider is a short-breaking pitch that doesn’t have elite spin or movement, but he throws it firmly in the upper 80s at times. His split-change features solid tumble, but like the slider doesn’t stand out for exceptional movement overall, and is instead best when he’s able to spot it at the bottom of the zone. Like most hard-throwing prepsters, Sykora’s control is inconsistent and he’ll need to learn to be more precise with his power at the next level. He’s old for the class and will be 19 on draft day. Sykora is committed to Texas and would be a solid infielder and hitting prospect as well if he didn’t throw 100 mph.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

Track Record: The Nationals pried Sykora away from a Texas commitment after signing him for $2.6 million as a third-rounder in 2023. That figure was more than double the slot value at No. 71 overall, but Washington believed it was getting a great value. Sykora affirmed that assessment with a dominant 2024 season. Sykora allowed zero or one hit in eight of his 20 starts for Low-A Fredericksburg. He finished with a 2.33 ERA and 129 strikeouts, which led all Low-A pitchers, over 85 innings.

Scouting Report: Sykora’s 94-96 mph fastball will touch 99. It has just average shape but it’s effective because of his above-average extension. He pitches from a more upright delivery with a high leg kick. Sykora works with three pitches: a four-seam fastball, slider and split-changeup. His slider sits in the low-to-mid 80s, and topped out at 87 mph, hinting that he could add power to the pitch. His splitter has a swinging-strike rate of just over 28%, proving to be an effective tool to collect swings and misses outside the zone. Sykora’s control took a big step forward in 2024, and was especially impressive in the second half of the season, when he walked eight batters in his final eight starts. It will need to continue to improve further as he faces higher-level bats. His fastball showed the kind of deception and velocity required to get hitters out in 2024, but it was in the strike zone less than 50% of the time, which is a function of him working regularly above the top of the zone.

The Future: Sykora proved he can pitch in meaningful games. He stuck out nine batters while allowing one hit and zero runs in a pair of Carolina League playoff starts. The 2025 season will allow Sykora to test his stuff against higher-level hitters and prove that any lingering control issues have been quashed.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50
BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Sykora ranked as the No. 36 player in the 2023 draft class and owned the hardest-thrown fastball in the class by a high school pitcher. The Nationals managed to land Sykora No. 71 overall and signed him to a $2.6 million bonus, more than double the slot value at that pick, to pry him from a Texas commitment. He did not make his professional debut in 2023.

Scouting Report: At 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Sykora is an athletic mover on the mound. His electric fastball sits in the upper 90s and has touched triple digits. His fastball, just based on velocity alone, seems to overwhelm hitters, though it is not always consistent. Sykora’s secondaries both need significant development, but his mid-80s slider and mid-80s split-changeup have both flashed average or better at points. His slider doesn’t have elite spin or movement, but the sheer velocity allows the pitch to generate swings and misses. The Nationals--under their old player development staff--said the righty will likely scrap his split-changeup and move toward a more traditional changeup. Sykora’s biggest challenge will be working on control and learning to be more precise with his power.

The Future: Sykora, who turns 20 in late April, is ready for his pro debut. He has a long road of development ahead, but also a rather high ceiling. He will likely begin the season at the Florida Complex League and could earn a promotion to Low-A in relatively short order.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 70 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50

Draft Prospects

School: Round Rock (Texas) HS Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.2
BA Grade:55/Extreme
Tools:Fastball: 70. Slider: 50. Changeup: 55. Control: 50.

It’s almost a given that the state of Texas will annually produce a physical and hard-throwing righthanded pitcher. The 2023 version of that pitcher is Sykora, who possesses the hardest-thrown fastball in the high school class and stands at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds. Sykora is an athletic mover on the mound who has a simple delivery and throws from a three-quarter slot with a tick of head whack and recoil. In shorter outings during the 2022 showcase circuit, Sykora pitched in the upper 90s and has already touched 101 mph. The pitch has hard running life at times but has overwhelmed prep hitters on pure velocity alone. Sykora’s secondaries include a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s split-changeup. Both are pitches that need continued development but have flashed some promise at times. The slider is a short-breaking pitch that doesn’t have elite spin or movement, but he throws it firmly in the upper 80s at times. His split-change features solid tumble, but like the slider doesn’t stand out for exceptional movement overall, and is instead best when he’s able to spot it at the bottom of the zone. Like most hard-throwing prepsters, Sykora’s control is inconsistent and he’ll need to learn to be more precise with his power at the next level. He’s old for the class and will be 19 on draft day. Sykora is committed to Texas and would be a solid infielder and hitting prospect as well if he didn’t throw 100 mph.