The angle he throws from is unusual, and hitters notice
Sandlin releases the ball from a submarine slot, about 3 degrees above horizontal and 3.0 feet to the third-base side of the rubber.
157 tracked release points, averaging 4.3 feet off the ground.
He falls behind hitters far too often
Sandlin throws a strike on the first pitch 43.9% of the time.
41 plate appearances started in 2026.
One pitch of his runs sideways more than almost anyone's
Sandlin's slider moves 19.2 inches toward the first-base side, the biggest horizontal move in his arsenal.
85 thrown, averaging 77.2 mph.
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Sandlin averages 82.0 mph across his arsenal, 1st percentile in the league.
157 pitches in 2026. 1st percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 531st in MLB.
He saves one pitch for one side of the plate
Sandlin throws the splitter 43.5% of the time against left-handers and 8% against right-handers.
88 pitches to right-handers, 69 to left-handers.
He works one part of the zone far more than the rest
Sandlin lives at the bottom of the zone: his average pitch crosses at 2.13 feet, against a zone that runs 1.5 to 3.5.
157 located pitches in 2026.
His pitches move in ways that fit together
Sandlin works with 4 pitches: Slider, Splitter, 4-Seam Fastball and Sinker. The slider is 54.1% of everything he throws.
157 classified pitches in 2026.
He lives on the edges rather than over the middle
14.6% of Sandlin's pitches land in the middle third of the zone, well below what most pitchers give away.
23 of 157 located pitches.
The contact he allows should not turn into many hits
The quality of contact against Sandlin projects a .289 average, 83rd percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 83rd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 94th in MLB.
One pitch of his spins more than almost anyone's
Sandlin's slider spins at 2,699 rpm, the highest in his arsenal.
85 thrown in 2026.
His ball moves more than the hitter expects it to
Sandlin's stuff spins at 2,406 rpm, 77th percentile in the league.
157 pitches in 2026. 77th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 125th in MLB.
How much of the zone he uses depends on the count
Sandlin puts 52.6% of his pitches in the zone when he is behind and 37.1% when he is ahead.
57 located pitches behind, 35 ahead.
Hitters cannot square him up, the contact is weak
Contact against Sandlin is weak: 87.0 mph off the bat on average, 70th percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 70th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 162nd in MLB.
He cannot find the zone often enough
Sandlin works off the plate, with only 42% of his pitches in the zone, 38th percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 38th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 331st in MLB.
Show more
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
The angle he throws from is unusual, and hitters notice
Sandlin releases the ball from a submarine slot, about 3 degrees above horizontal and 3.0 feet to the third-base side of the rubber.
157 tracked release points, averaging 4.3 feet off the ground.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He falls behind hitters far too often
Sandlin throws a strike on the first pitch 43.9% of the time.
41 plate appearances started in 2026.
How much of the zone he uses depends on the count
Sandlin puts 52.6% of his pitches in the zone when he is behind and 37.1% when he is ahead.
57 located pitches behind, 35 ahead.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
One pitch of his runs sideways more than almost anyone's
Sandlin's slider moves 19.2 inches toward the first-base side, the biggest horizontal move in his arsenal.
85 thrown, averaging 77.2 mph.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He gets by without much velocity, and it costs him
Sandlin averages 82.0 mph across his arsenal, 1st percentile in the league.
157 pitches in 2026. 1st percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 531st in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He saves one pitch for one side of the plate
Sandlin throws the splitter 43.5% of the time against left-handers and 8% against right-handers.
88 pitches to right-handers, 69 to left-handers.
His pitches move in ways that fit together
Sandlin works with 4 pitches: Slider, Splitter, 4-Seam Fastball and Sinker. The slider is 54.1% of everything he throws.
157 classified pitches in 2026.
One pitch of his spins more than almost anyone's
Sandlin's slider spins at 2,699 rpm, the highest in his arsenal.
85 thrown in 2026.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He works one part of the zone far more than the rest
Sandlin lives at the bottom of the zone: his average pitch crosses at 2.13 feet, against a zone that runs 1.5 to 3.5.
157 located pitches in 2026.
He lives on the edges rather than over the middle
14.6% of Sandlin's pitches land in the middle third of the zone, well below what most pitchers give away.
23 of 157 located pitches.
The numbers behind these live in Spray Chart.
Take me there
The contact he allows should not turn into many hits
The quality of contact against Sandlin projects a .289 average, 83rd percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 83rd percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 94th in MLB.
Hitters cannot square him up, the contact is weak
Contact against Sandlin is weak: 87.0 mph off the bat on average, 70th percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 70th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 162nd in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
His ball moves more than the hitter expects it to
Sandlin's stuff spins at 2,406 rpm, 77th percentile in the league.
157 pitches in 2026. 77th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 125th in MLB.
The numbers behind these live in Pitch Data.
Take me there
He cannot find the zone often enough
Sandlin works off the plate, with only 42% of his pitches in the zone, 38th percentile.
157 pitches in 2026. 38th percentile among qualified pitchers in 2026, 331st in MLB.
Guardians
Career team 2022–2024