- Full name Levi Sterling
- Born 09/02/2006 in
- Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 190 / Bats: R / Throws: R
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Drafted in the CB-A round (37th overall) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2024 (signed for $2,508,900).
View Draft Report
School: Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 17.9
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 60.
Sterling is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander with starter traits and an array of projection indicators in his favor. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft class and doesn’t turn 18 until this September and also has some of the best command in the 2024 prep class. Sterling works with a clean, repeatable and balanced delivery and throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. He typically sits in the 89-92 mph range and will touch 94, but he can spot his fastball with precision, hit his spots and change eye levels with consistency and intent. Sterling’s fastball command sets up a trio of solid secondaries, including a low-80s slider that might be solid-average, a mid-70s curveball with impressive spin and depth that has above-average potential and a low-80s changeup with fade and tumble that’s thrown with fastball arm speed. There are a number of pitchers who throw harder than Sterling at the moment, but he should add more strength to his projectable frame. He also has yet to focus exclusively on pitching because he is also a talented high school shortstop. Owing to Sterling’s athleticism, plus control and four-pitch mix, scouts are happy to dream of what he could be in three or four years. He’s committed to Texas but has top-three rounds talent.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme.
Track Record: Sterling was a two-way star at Notre Dame High outside Los Angeles, the same program that produced big leaguers Giancarlo Stanton, Hunter Greene and Brendan Ryan. He also played alongside fellow Pirates farmhand Konnor Griffin on Team USA’s 18U National Team in 2023. Pittsburgh selected him No. 37 overall in 2024 and signed him to a bonus just north of $2.5 million. He did not make his pro debut.
Scouting Report: While Sterling wasn’t the hardest thrower in the 2024 class, the 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander is quite projectable and shows advanced pitchability for his age. Sterling has a four-pitch mix fronted by an 89-92 mph fastball that he throws for loads of strikes. His accuracy and willingness to spot his heater in any quadrant of the strike zone sets up the rest of his arsenal. Sterling’s low-80s changeup flashes plus shape and tumbles away from lefthanded batters, and he already confidently throws it with good arm speed. Additionally, he shows feel to spin two distinct breaking pitches: a mid-70s curveball that has above-average potential and is slightly ahead at this stage and a low-80s slider with classic shape and solid-average potential. Already a proficient strike-thrower, Sterling’s athleticism allows him to repeat his clean, balanced delivery. He has also never focused on pitching full-time. Sterling was a talented prep shortstop who hit third in his high school team’s order last spring. There’s plenty of room on his frame to add more strength and power.
The Future: The Pirates believe Sterling, who did not turn 18 until September, has considerable upside now that he can focus all his attention on pitching given his projection indicators. Sterling has midrotation upside and could reach Low-A Bradenton in relatively short order in 2025.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 60
Draft Prospects
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School: Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, Calif. Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 17.9
BA Grade: 50/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Curveball: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 60.
Sterling is a 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander with starter traits and an array of projection indicators in his favor. He’s one of the youngest players in the draft class and doesn’t turn 18 until this September and also has some of the best command in the 2024 prep class. Sterling works with a clean, repeatable and balanced delivery and throws from a low three-quarters arm slot. He typically sits in the 89-92 mph range and will touch 94, but he can spot his fastball with precision, hit his spots and change eye levels with consistency and intent. Sterling’s fastball command sets up a trio of solid secondaries, including a low-80s slider that might be solid-average, a mid-70s curveball with impressive spin and depth that has above-average potential and a low-80s changeup with fade and tumble that’s thrown with fastball arm speed. There are a number of pitchers who throw harder than Sterling at the moment, but he should add more strength to his projectable frame. He also has yet to focus exclusively on pitching because he is also a talented high school shortstop. Owing to Sterling’s athleticism, plus control and four-pitch mix, scouts are happy to dream of what he could be in three or four years. He’s committed to Texas but has top-three rounds talent.
Top 100 Rankings
Scouting Reports
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School: Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, Calif. Committed: Texas
Age At Draft: 17.9
Sterling has starter traits and an array of projection indicators in his favor. He’s one of the youngest players in the class, on par with a 2025 prospect as he won’t turn 18 until September 2024 after the draft. At 6-foot-4, 190 pounds, he has a tall, lean frame with ample room to fill out and add to a fastball that has touched 94. There should be significantly more velocity to come. He pairs his fastball with an upper-70s curveball that he has impressive feel to spin with sharp bite and good depth to miss bats. It’s a potential plus pitch, and he has similar feel to spin his low-to-mid 80s slider. Sterling has also flashed a promising changeup in the low-80s with swing-and-miss properties. He’s one of the better strike-throwers in the class too, with athleticism that helps him repeat his sound, fluid mechanics. Sterling is committed to Texas.
