2022 Prospect Previews: Pierson Ohl

While the MLB lockout continues to stagnate the offseason, minor-league players are preparing to travel to Florida and Arizona to begin preparation for their seasons. In this series, I’ll look at some of the Twins' notable picks from the early rounds of the 2021 draft. I’ll dig into scouting reports and storylines to look for ahead of the 2022 season. Next up, Pierson Ohl, a right-handed pitcher out of Grand Canyon University.

Scouting Grades: Unavailable

Signing and Scouting
The Twins selected right-handed pitcher Pierson Ohl with their 14th-round pick in the 2021 draft (429th overall) out of Grand Canyon University. Ohl signed for a slot bonus of $100,000. 

Prior to the 2021 draft, Baseball America described Ohl as ‘the textbook example of a pitcher thriving on pitchability to compensate for a below-average fastball’. Ohl pitched extremely well in his three seasons at Grand Canyon, compiling a 2.60 ERA and a 10-2 record in his junior year. His pre-draft scouting report cited a fastball that operated in the high 80s and low 90s, with plus command. Additionally, Ohl carries a curveball and an above-average changeup which serves as his best secondary offering.

High School and College Ball
"I didn’t realize how far this game would take me in life," the affable, well-spoken SoCal native explains, speaking from his brothers' dorm room (also a pitcher at Grand Canyon University). Throughout his Twins Spotlight interview with Twins Daily’s Seth Stohs, there’s a genuine love of the game and appreciation for his circumstances which Ohl effuses. 

Growing up in talent-rich Southern California, Ohl was frank about his beginnings in baseball. "That wasn’t me," he said of SoCal prospects throwing mid-90s fastballs in high school. Ohl speaks admiringly of the coaching staff at Grand Canyon, including former big leaguer Andy Stankiewicz. "They are developing men, not just baseball players." An approach that combines baseball and personal development, comes across as important to Ohl, one of seven siblings who values his family connections deeply.

The Transition to the Twins
"As a junior, you’re getting excited," says Ohl of the build-up to the 2021 draft, in which his name was circulating among MLB teams. Ohl described feelings of disappointment at not being drafted on day two, ahead of being taken by the Twins in the 14th round. Indeed, the Twins appear to have snuck their pick of Ohl ahead of the Yankees and Orioles, who had told the righty they would be drafting him later in the 14th round.

On Data and Technology
"To be flying out (to spring training) for an MLB organization like the Twins, I don’t think it gets any better than that," says Ohl of forthcoming minor-league camp in Fort Myers. Ohl speaks highly of his initial time working with Twins pitching coordinators who helped him understand his profile and skill-set as a pitcher. "I learned that my fastball has plus-plus carry."

Ohl continues to reflect on the need to transition his fastball from the bottom of the zone to the top, to take advantage of its profile (an organizational tendency of the Twins). "It’s a change for me, but the numbers show that guys with that kind of profile are successful up there." Listening to Ohl speak about his short time with the organization last summer, it’s easy to come away convinced he will be successful. He’s quick to soak in anything which will maximize his skillset and espouses the kind of self-discipline which should help him learn and grow quickly in his first minor-league season.

Likely to Start At: Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels 
Conclusion: Ohl is a pitcher with a proven track record in three years of college baseball. He’s exactly the type of pitcher the Twins development staff will savor, a hard worker with a plus-plus fastball with carry open to the approach of the organization. Ohl will be a prospect to keep an eye on in 2022.

Who is the most intriguing of the five draft picks discussed so far? What are your thoughts on Pierson Ohl ahead of the 2022 season?

Previous Prospect Previews
Twins Prospect Preview: Chase Petty
Twins Prospect Preview: Noah Miller
Twins Prospect Preview: Steven Hajjar
Twins Prospect Preview: Cade Povich
Twins Prospect Preview: Christian Encarnacion-Strand