Pirates A to Z: Potential adjustments could lead to relief role for Harvard grad Sean Poppen

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Nik Turley.

Sean Poppen

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 205 pounds

2020 MLB statistics: Went 0-0 with a 4.70 ERA/1.696 WHIP in 7 2/3 innings for the Minnesota Twins.

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration.

Acquired: Claimed off waivers from the Twins on Oct. 1, 2020.

This past season: The story of how Poppen ended up with the Pirates has a Pittsburgh twist.

His tenure with the Twins ended when he was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster in the playoffs for former Plum star Alex Kirilloff, the organization’s 2016 first-round pick.

Poppen was selected in the 19th round of the same draft by the Twins after returning for his senior season at Harvard, where he was a double major in chemistry/physics and engineering sciences. A Virginia Beach native, Poppen was his class valedictorian, plays the piano and drums, has an interest in theater and even sang the national anthem at Fenway Park before Harvard played in a game there.

Perhaps that makes him the ideal candidate to pitch piggyback with Steven Brault, or at least do a duet with the Pirates lefty. Like Brault, Poppen came up through the minors as a starter, going 25-21 with a 3.38 ERA in 72 starts, but was switched to a relief role in the majors.

Poppen made his major league debut in 2019, when the Twins needed bullpen help following a 17-inning game. Poppen had 73 strikeouts in 57²/₃ innings prior to his call-up.

“He’s a guy that’s going to attack with good, quality stuff,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Not a guy that’s going to go out there and be nibbling or anything like that.”

Poppen had no plans to change that approach, even after he allowed three runs on five hits and four walks in four innings of relief in a 9-4 loss to the Red Sox in his debut.

“I approach starting with the same mentality that I would approach relieving: I’m not a guy that’s going to hold back,” Poppen said. “So fundamentally, it’s not really that much different, except maybe more high-pressure situations.”

In 2020, Poppen allowed four runs on nine hits, with four walks and 10 strikeouts in six appearances for the Twins. In 10 games over two seasons, he pitched 16 innings, giving up 11 runs on 19 hits with nine walks and 19 strikeouts.

The future: The Pirates project Poppen in a relief role after the bullpen lost the likes of Keone Kela and Derek Holland to free agency, Nick Tropeano and Brandon Waddell to waiver claims and cut ties with Nick Burdi, Dovydas Neverauskas and Yacksel Rios by designating them for assignment.

The Pirates protected Poppen on their 40-man roster because general manager Ben Cherington said scouts and the informatics team liked Poppen’s analytics. He boasted an 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings with a two-pitch repertoire, relying primarily on a sinking fastball in the mid-90s and a slider out of a lower arm slot that Cherington called “a little bit of a different look.”

“He has a really good slider,” Cherington said. “He throws a two-seamer. We feel there’s a chance he could throw a four-seamer also. … He’s been tough on righties so he’s one of a number of guys that has a chance to emerge as a good major league pitcher. That hasn’t happened for him yet. We think there’s some potential adjustments and are looking forward to getting to work with him, assuming he’d come into camp and be in a competitive position.”