By Shooter Hunt
National Crosschecker

This week, On the Hunt, is all about ARMS, ARMS, ARMS. Seven pitchers, including two left-handers, are ready to make an impact at the national level. Fiver of the arms are from the 2019 class with one, each, being from the 2018 and 2020 classes. There are some budding superstars on the list to go along with some who are on the cusp of being front end talent.

 

Ryan Sleeper, LHP, Lakeville North HS, MN, 2019
Sleeper has a chance to be one of the premier arms on recruiter’s radars heading into the summer with an athletic, 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame and a strong left arm. With his fastball running up to 86 mph in an October bullpen setting, Sleeper still shows more in the tank, and will likely be in the upper eighties by June. Utilizing a simple, smooth delivery, Sleeper has a long arm swing that delivers out of a high ¾ slot with effort and a head snap out front. Sleeper duplicates his quick arm speed from his fastball when throwing his changeup (68-71) which shows late arm side run though occasionally cutting. His curveball and slider are currently average pitches, but take solid shape and show promise of becoming better in the future. With such a strong left arm that only shows signs of getting better, Sleeper should continue to progress at a rapid rate as he continues to log innings and mature. This should make him a high priority for schools this summer.