Sean Sullivan Stats & Scouting Report

IP	32
ERA	1.97
WHIP	1.09
BB/9	1.97
SO/9	6.75

Full name Sean Joseph Sullivan
Born 07/22/2002 in Boston, MA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: L
School Wake Forest
Drafted in the 2nd round (46th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2023 (signed for $1,700,000).

View Draft Report

School: Wake Forest Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 40. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.

Sullivan turned in a solid season with Northeastern in 2022, where he posted a 4.45 ERA in 13 starts, then pitched well with Harwich in the Cape Cod League. He transferred to Wake Forest after the season, and has been one of the most effective pitchers in college baseball, with a 2.45 ERA in 69.2 innings, a 39.8% strikeout rate and a 32.3 K-BB% His strikeout rate and K-BB% numbers were second to only Louisiana State righthander Paul Skenes. Sullivan is a 6-foot-4 lefthander who doesn’t use that height on the mound, and instead employs a low arm slot that creates a tricky angle for opposing hitters and allows his stuff to play up. He averaged just 90 mph on his fastball and touched 95, but generated an elite 37% miss rate with the fastball thanks to that low attack angle. He also generated tons of whiffs with his secondaries, which includes a low-80s changeup and slider around 80 mph—though scouts believe his slow, sweeping breaking ball is more of a below-average offering that needs more bite and power. Sullivan is likely to be a polarizing profile given his smoke and mirrors stuff, but there’s no doubt he’s been one of the best college lefthanders in the country. How teams expect his stuff to translate to pro ball will be a key question on draft day.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Sullivan spent his freshman season at Northwestern, where he pitched well before impressing over the summer in the Cape Cod League. He transferred to Wake Forest before his sophomore season and dominated, earning all-ACC first team honors. The Rockies selected Sullivan in the second round and signed him for $1.7 million. Sullivan debuted in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and made two appearances before he was promoted to Low-A Fresno for a single appearance.

Scouting Report: Sullivan is a low-slot lefthander who lacks power but has a high level of deception on all of his pitches. He mixes a four-seam fastball, a sweeping slider and a changeup. Sullivan’s fastball sits between 90-92 mph and touched 95 mph during the college season. His fastball plays up due to his low release height, deceptive arm action and flat fastball plane. Sullivan’s primary secondary is a low-80s changeup that generated a high rate of whiffs and is clearly the better of his two secondary offerings. His low-80s sweeper lacks bite, and it likely won’t miss bats in pro ball. He has above-average command of his pitch mix.

The Future: Sullivan has starter’s traits and a deceptive operation that might allow him to overcome his lack of velocity.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Slider: 40 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55

Draft Prospects

School: Wake Forest Source: 4YR

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21
BA Grade:45/High
Tools:Fastball: 55. Slider: 40. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.

Sullivan turned in a solid season with Northeastern in 2022, where he posted a 4.45 ERA in 13 starts, then pitched well with Harwich in the Cape Cod League. He transferred to Wake Forest after the season, and has been one of the most effective pitchers in college baseball, with a 2.45 ERA in 69.2 innings, a 39.8% strikeout rate and a 32.3 K-BB% His strikeout rate and K-BB% numbers were second to only Louisiana State righthander Paul Skenes. Sullivan is a 6-foot-4 lefthander who doesn’t use that height on the mound, and instead employs a low arm slot that creates a tricky angle for opposing hitters and allows his stuff to play up. He averaged just 90 mph on his fastball and touched 95, but generated an elite 37% miss rate with the fastball thanks to that low attack angle. He also generated tons of whiffs with his secondaries, which includes a low-80s changeup and slider around 80 mph—though scouts believe his slow, sweeping breaking ball is more of a below-average offering that needs more bite and power. Sullivan is likely to be a polarizing profile given his smoke and mirrors stuff, but there’s no doubt he’s been one of the best college lefthanders in the country. How teams expect his stuff to translate to pro ball will be a key question on draft day.