Bennett Sousa Stats & Scouting Report

IP	29.333
ERA	7.057
WHIP	1.483
BB/9	3.682
SO/9	6.75

Full name John Bennett Sousa
Born 04/06/1995 in North Palm Beach, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 220 / Bats: L / Throws: L
School Virginia
Debut 04/08/2022
Drafted in the 10th round (288th overall) by the Chicago White Sox in 2018 (signed for $10,000).

View Draft Report

A four-year, senior reliever with the Cavaliers, Sousa is a 6-foot-3 pitcher with a fastball/slider combination who has never put up the numbers scout are looking for in the ACC. This spring he posted a 5.23 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 22 walks through 23 appearances and 43 innings of work. Over his last two seasons he’s struck out 12+ batters per nine innings, but his walk rate has been high throughout his time in college. Sousa was drafted by the Nationals in the 34th round of the 2017 draft and was seen frequently out of high school where he seemed like a top-three-round pick with a 90-94 mph fastball with life and and a quick arm. His performance has never lived up to the hype that his prep career might have suggested.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Track Record: Sousa was a 10th-round pick by the White Sox in 2018 after a four-year career at Virginia. He was never a highly regarded prospect until a velocity jump in 2021 coupled with solid results put him on the radar. Sousa was added to the 40-man roster just before the deadline last November. His 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings was by far the best mark of his pro career.

Scouting Report: By the time he got to Triple-A, Sousa’s fastball was sitting 93-97 mph with late life. Coming out of a high three-quarters delivery with deception, his fastball and slider combination play up. The slider is a reverse-split pitch. It’s effective against righthanded batters, but less so left-on-left. Early in the season he was sitting 83-84 mph, but as his fastball velocity increased the slider also climbed, sitting 85-88 mph at season’s end. With a strong one-two punch, Sousa looks like a potential bullpen option for the White Sox in 2022 with the ability to miss bats and provide some firepower in the later innings.

The Future: Sousa will head to big league camp looking to earn a spot in the White Sox bullpen, but more likely will be on the Charlotte-to-Chicago shuttle throughout the year.

Draft Prospects

Sousa, a showcase regular, had an uneven summer but finished with a strong showing at the Area Code Games. His spring has been similarly uneven. On the right day or inning, Sousa can look like a top-three-round pick, showing 90-94 mph velocity with life from a quick arm, strike-throwing ability and at least an average breaking ball. But then later in outings, he can struggle to throw strikes with 85-88 mph velocity that barely scrapes average. Sousa uses a drop-and-drive delivery with a long stride, producing downhill plane with some rigidity to his arm action. His changeup lags behind his breaking ball but has flashed average. He has a toned, athletic build with long limbs that offers projection at 6-foot-1, 190. The 19-year-old is considered a tough sign out of Virginia, where he could develop into a solid pick with more consistent stuff and strike throwing under a staff known for maximizing a pitcher's ability.

Scouting Reports

Track Record: Sousa was a 10th-round pick by the White Sox in 2018 after a four-year career at Virginia. He was never a highly regarded prospect until a velocity jump in 2021 coupled with solid results put him on the radar. Sousa was added to the 40-man roster just before the deadline last November. His 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings was by far the best mark of his pro career.

Scouting Report: By the time he got to Triple-A, Sousa’s fastball was sitting 93-97 mph with late life. Coming out of a high three-quarters delivery with deception, his fastball and slider combination play up. The slider is a reverse-split pitch. It’s effective against righthanded batters, but less so left-on-left. Early in the season he was sitting 83-84 mph, but as his fastball velocity increased the slider also climbed, sitting 85-88 mph at season’s end. With a strong one-two punch, Sousa looks like a potential bullpen option for the White Sox in 2022 with the ability to miss bats and provide some firepower in the later innings.

The Future: Sousa will head to big league camp looking to earn a spot in the White Sox bullpen, but more likely will be on the Charlotte-to-Chicago shuttle throughout the year.

Career Transactions

Houston Astros transferred LHP Bennett Sousa from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Left shoulder inflammation.
Houston Astros placed LHP Bennett Sousa on the 15-day injured list. Left shoulder inflammation.
Houston Astros activated LHP Bennett Sousa.
Milwaukee Brewers optioned LHP Bennett Sousa to Nashville Sounds.
Nashville Sounds activated LHP Bennett Sousa.
Milwaukee Brewers optioned LHP Bennett Sousa to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers activated LHP Bennett Sousa from the 60-day injured list.
Milwaukee Brewers reassigned LHP Bennett Sousa to the minor leagues.
Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Bennett Sousa on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Bennett Sousa on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Bennett Sousa on a rehab assignment to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers sent LHP Bennett Sousa on a rehab assignment to ACL Brewers.
Milwaukee Brewers transferred LHP Bennett Sousa from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Left shoulder nerve irritation.
Milwaukee Brewers placed LHP Bennett Sousa on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 8, 2023. Left shoulder nerve irritation.
Milwaukee Brewers recalled LHP Bennett Sousa from Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers recalled LHP Bennett Sousa from Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers optioned LHP Bennett Sousa to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers optioned LHP Bennett Sousa to Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers recalled LHP Bennett Sousa from Nashville Sounds.
Milwaukee Brewers recalled LHP Bennett Sousa from Nashville Sounds.
Nashville Sounds activated LHP Bennett Sousa from the 7-day injured list.
Nashville Sounds placed LHP Bennett Sousa on the 7-day injured list retroactive to April 24, 2023.
Cincinnati Reds traded LHP Bennett Sousa to Milwaukee Brewers for cash.
LHP Bennett Sousa assigned to Nashville Sounds.
Cincinnati Reds designated LHP Bennett Sousa for assignment.
Cincinnati Reds optioned LHP Bennett Sousa to Louisville Bats.
Louisville Bats activated LHP Bennett Sousa.
Cincinnati Reds claimed LHP Bennett Sousa off waivers from Chicago White Sox.
Chicago White Sox designated LHP Bennett Sousa for assignment.