Elijah Pleasants RHP. DOB: 5/14/2000. 6' 5", 200 lbs. Signed 2024 Undrafted Free Agent(Indy Ball)
2024(Indy): 2-0, 4.32, 16.2 IP, 12.4 K/9, 2.2 BB/9
2024(ACL): 2-2, 4.87, 20.1 IP, 8.0 K/9, 6.2 BB/9, 1.81 GB/FB, 1 Save.
2024(A): 0-0, 2.33, 27 IP, 7.7 K/9, 6.0 BB/9, 2.56 GB/FB, 2 Saves.
2024(AFL): 3-1, 5.68, 19 IP, 9.5 K/9, 2.8 BB/9.
Elijah Pleasants deserves some kind of award for persistence alone. He was regarded highly enough out of high school to play for an elite college program in the SEC, Tennessee. By his senior year he was pitching in D2 and not too well. I thought the Giants signed him after he was released by the Oakland A's but it turns out he was playing for Oakland in the Pioneer League which is now an independent league. He posted strong K/BB in Indy ball then pitched at two levels in the Giants system before scoring a gig in the Arizona Fall League. Although he worked mostly as a reliever in the ACL and San Jose, he started 5 of 6 appearances in fall ball and averaged over 3 innings per appearance. He had two outstanding performances in the AFL: One with 4 K's and 0 BB's and another with 7 K's.
I Pleasants pitch in Rancho Cucamonga. He has an ideal pitcher's frame which is lean but rawboned, high hips, broad shoulders and long, long limbs. He has a loose armed over-the-top delivery with a finish reminiscent of Bob Gibson. His sinking fastball sat at 95 MPH which gets groundballs and is paired with a sharp slider which is his strikeout pitch.
There are several videos online including the 4 K and 7 K games in the AFL if are interested in seeing his frame and delivery for yourself.
If you want a big time underdog in the Giants system to root for, I recommend Elijah Pleasants. He will most likely be assigned to A+ level where he will try to build on his AFL performance.
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