Rule 5 Draft Prospect Profile: Alex Manasa
When you think of some of the top prospects around Major League baseball, you usually see them coming from Big Schools. However, a deeper look into the prospect poll will show talent around the collegiate levels. Community Colleges have produced top MLB stars like Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper, and Mike Piazza. A pitcher in the Pirates system who is trying to be the next Community College standout is right-handed pitcher Alex Manasa. Man as a has gotten better in every one of his Minor League seasons as he develops his arsenal. He is one of the most athletic pitchers in the Pirates organization, being a former outfielder at Jackson County Community College.
He is now in his first year if eligibility for the Rule 5 draft, and his athleticism might get him some interest around the league. He sits in the low-90s with his fastball, and has since been developing a slider that has become pretty effective. At 22-years-old, he is a little older for a Class Low-A prospect and the Pirates will look to move him quickly through the system. With his athletic ability, it is just a matter of learning to command his pitches before he earns the call to the next level. However, with the Rule 5 Draft looming, Manasa might be an intriguing option for a team looking for pitching or outfield depth. He was one of the top outfielders in the state of Michigan in high school, but now he is looking to perfect his craft on the mound in professional baseball.
Outfielder Converted to the Mound
When Manasa was looking for a place to play after high school, it was mainly as an outfielder. He was rated by the College Prep Rankings as one of the top outfielders in the state of Michigan. However, when no professional scouts came calling, he took his talents to Jackson County Community College. He quickly developed into one of the top hitters in the Michigan Community College Athletic Association hitting .410 with three home runs and 56 RBI during his freshman season. He led the MCAA in stolen bases (25), and finished seventh in batting average. However, it was his work as a closer that caught the Pirates eye. He served as a closer for Jackson County CC and was a perfect 5-5 in saves with a 1.27 ERA in 16 games, and he struck out 31 batters in 21.1 innings of work. The Pirates would end up drafting him in the 11th round of the 2017 MLB Draft, and he began his professional career as a pitcher.
Given that he was only a Junior College freshman, the Pirates sent him to Rookie Ball in the Appalachian League. He would join the Bristol Pirates bullpen and appeared in 17 games, making one start, and went 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA. There was an adjustment period for Manasa as he was tagged for seven earned runs over his first 6.1 innings of work, but as the season went on he began to improve. He had great control, walking just seven batters in 38.1 innings of work while striking out just under 21% of the better he faced. His best stretch came in the month of August as he finished the year with a 1.66 ERA and threw 8.1 straight scoreless innings to end the year.
Because of his end of season success, he was advanced to Short-Season West Virginia in 2018. He got his first try as a starting pitcher for the Black Bears and had some success going 4-7 with a 4.48 ERA in 80.1 innings of work. He showed good stamina, working into the sixth inning in seven of his 15 starts, but his stuff just wasn't as nearly as effective as it was in the bullpen. His strikeout rate dropped dramatically to 13.6% and he began to walk more batters than he did in the previous season. He turned in two quality starts at the end of the season and lowered his ERA to the mid-fours and once again ended the season on a high-note.
He would continue his career as a starter, in full-season ball with the Greensboro Grasshoppers. He put together the best season of his pro career going 9-5 with a 3.48 ERA over 25 starts. He found his stikeout pitch as his slider developed into one of his top pitches. He set down 21% of the batters he faced, jumping his strikeout rate by eight percent. He was one of the most reliable pitchers for the grasshoppers, turning in 20 quality starts and lasting six innings or more 12 times during the season. Unlike previous seasons, Manasa did not finish the season strong as he gave up four earned runs over six innings in his final start. The 2020 shut down put his development on hold, but he is likely to continue as a starter in Advanced-A in 2021.
Athleticism Available
Manasa was one of the most consistent pitchers in Low-A last season, but he is also one of the most athletic pitchers in the system. His fastball continues to get faster and his control is starting to come back in the higher levels. His athleticism is one of his key features and something that another team might take interest in in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 Draft. Without a Minor League season in 2020, Manasa didn't get a chance to show that his improvement continues on the mound. So, teams will probably take a pass on him given that he is 22 years old and still in Low-A ball.
As for Manasa's projection for 2021, he will most likely enter the Bradenton Marauders starting rotation. With his fastball and slider under control, he is now working on a change-up to add a third pitch to his arsenal. It is still early to tell whether or not Manasa will turn into a top prospect, but 2021 will go a long way to proving whether or not Manasa will impact the Pirates in the future. The Florida State League has been known as a pitcher-friendly league, and Manasa could take advantage of that to have a breakout season. His velocity and control are both on the rise and he is ready to take that next step in his professional baseball career.
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