School: University of Alabama; Class: Junior
Position: LHP; B/T: L/L
Height: 6-2; Weight: 210
Previously Drafted: Boston Red Sox, 37th round, 2019
High School: Tomah High School
| FB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 55 | 70 | 55 | 55 | 55 |
Background: A product of Wisconsin-based Tomah High School. Prielipp was nearly unhittable – both literally and figuratively – during his final two prep seasons with the Timberwolves. The well-built left-hander hurled 52 innings during his junior campaign – with the opposition failing to score in 51 of those frames. He would finish his third high school season with a laughably low 0.27 ERA with a whopping 97 punch outs. For those counting at home: he allowed one earned run, the result of the lone extra-base hit he surrendered that year.
Prielipp, a projected top pick in the 2019 draft, captured the Wisconsin Gatorade Player of the Year after an equally dominant showing during his senior season: He posted a “bloated” 0.85 ERA across 49 innings of work while racking up a mind-boggling 118 strikeouts (against just five free passes). Again, for those counting at home, 80.2% of the outs accumulated during his mound work came via the punch out. The Red Sox took a late round flier on the lethal lefty, though he would eventually head to the University of Alabama.
A year later – as a true freshman – he was named the Tides’ Opening Day starter.
He was magnificent across four starts, posting a 35-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio without surrendering a run – earned or unearned – in 21.0 innings of work. After that, though, COVID prematurely forced the end of what promised to be a dominating campaign. Prielipp came back strong for a trio of games during the 2021 season, fanning 12 and walking one in seven innings, before he succumbed to Tommy John surgery.
Finally healthy, Prielipp chose not to pitch during the 2022 season, opting, instead, to throw bullpens for Major League clubs.
He would finish his collegiate career with a 0.96 ERA, averaging 15.1 strikeouts and 2.3 walks per nine innings.
Scouting Report: Prior to the injury, Prielipp showed an above-average, low-90s fastball, sitting in the 92 mph range and touching a tick higher. He complements the 55-grade offering with an elite mid-80s slider, one of the best in this year’s class – a genuine swing-and-miss offering. He’ll also mix in a low 80s changeup. Even going back to his days at Tomah High School, Prielipp always had a knack for making consistent pitcher’s pitches, showcasing an above-average – maybe even plus – ability to command the strike zone. There’s some Reid Detmers feel to Prielipp. He won’t be an ace, but he could be a very competent mid-rotation caliber arm – assuming that arm won’t give him any issues in the future.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
Grade: First Round
