John Kuchno
| IP | 453 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.914 |
| WHIP | 1.351 |
| BB/9 | 3.238 |
| SO/9 | 5.026 |
- Full name John Joseph Kuchno
- Born 05/21/1991 in Baltimore, MD
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Ohio State
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Drafted in the 18th round (556th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2012 (signed for $125,000).
View Draft Report
Kuchno played only one year of high school baseball and began his college career as a redshirt walk-on at Wake Forest. After he grew four inches in a year and added velocity to his fastball, he caught the eye of Ohio State assistant Mike Stafford at a summer showcase and joined the Buckeyes. Now 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Kuchno works from 88-95 mph to 90-91 as a starter. He's still learning to command his hard curveball and profiles as a reliever with two potential plus pitches.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Pirates drafted Kuchno knowing he was not as experienced or polished as most high school pitchers. Growing up in the Baltimore area, he played high school ball in only his senior season, then walked on at Wake Forest and was redshirted. Kuchno caught the eye of Ohio State assistant coach Mike Stafford at a summer showcase and transferred to play for the Buckeyes. He spent full seasons at low Class A West Virginia in 2013 and high Class A Bradenton in 2014, going a combined 17-14, 3.77 in 50 games. Kuchno doesn't miss many bats, but he intrigues the Pirates because of his ability to get batters to consistently hit the ball on the ground with both his sinking fastball that runs from 91-95 mph and a slider that could use a little bit more bite. He induced 31 groundball double plays in 2014--in part because he led the Florida State League with 58 walks. Kuchno needs a lot of work on his changeup because he often throws it faster than his slider. He works at a quick pace, which keeps his fielders more engaged. Kuchno will pitch at Double-A Altoona in 2015 and could improve his stock with a good year.
Draft Prospects
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Kuchno played only one year of high school baseball and began his college career as a redshirt walk-on at Wake Forest. After he grew four inches in a year and added velocity to his fastball, he caught the eye of Ohio State assistant Mike Stafford at a summer showcase and joined the Buckeyes. Now 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Kuchno works from 88-95 mph to 90-91 as a starter. He's still learning to command his hard curveball and profiles as a reliever with two potential plus pitches.
