Former Cary-Grove star Quinn Priester showing why he’s one of baseball’s top prospects

Quinn Priester’s story started taking shape when he was a sophomore at Cary-Grove High School.

“That’s when I remember hearing that, I think it was Northwestern was offering him [a scholarship],” Trojans baseball coach Ryan Passaglia said. “That’s when all of our heads perked up and we said, ‘Oh, we’ve got a pretty special kid on our hands.’ It really took off from there.”

There are many more chapters to be written on the 21-year-old starting pitcher, but Priester is already showing why he was the No. 18 overall pick in the 2019 draft, landing with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round.

COVID-19 shut down the 2020 minor-league season, limiting Priester to a two-week stint at the Pirates’ alternate training site in Altoona, Pa.

Back in action last year, he pitched for high Class A Greensboro and had to shake off some expected rust early in the season.

“It started slow,” Priester said in a phone interview from the Pirates’ minor-league training camp in Bradenton, Fla. “I was walking guys, but as the season went on I kind of settled in and started to compete in the zone more. I stopped putting myself in really bad situations, cleaned it up a little bit.”

While going 7-4 in 20 starts with Greensboro, Priester led the South Atlantic League in ERA (3.04) and WHIP (1.24). He also ranked 10th with 98 strikeouts in 97 innings.

A consensus Top 100 prospect, Priester was particularly brilliant in two August starts for the Grasshoppers.

On Aug. 13 he pitched seven scoreless innings against Winston-Salem and had 10 strikeouts. Two weeks later, the right-hander struck out 13 over six scoreless innings vs. Asheville.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever been that good in my life,” Priester said. “I remember my fastball command was very good and my slider command was also very good. I was able to mix those two pitches really well and also use my other weapons, the curveball and changeup. I was locked in, having fun. Not thinking, just competing and playing. Those are the ones you want to build on. Hopefully, it’s not the last time I’ll do those things.”

Closer to the majors

As his story continues, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Priester has the skills to stay locked in as the competition gets tougher. He’s on track to start the upcoming minor-league season with Class AA Altoona and make it to the major leagues at some point in 2023.

Still young and in need of more development, Priester does dream of being in Pittsburgh’s starting rotation.

“It goes through my mind every day,” he said. “Every day, you want to be a big leaguer. If you don’t want to be a big leaguer and you don’t want to help win games for the city of Pittsburgh, I believe you’re in the wrong spot.”

Armed with a fastball that is routinely clocked in the upper 90s, one of the best curveballs in the minors and a changeup and slider, Priester has the physical tools to emerge as a top-end starter for the Pirates.

There is more.

“You get a lot of kids that come into your program that have some talent, but Quinn was kind of a unicorn in a way that, he was so, so hungry for success,” Passaglia said. “That’s not something every kid has. You have kids that come in and have potential, but you don’t always have those kids that also have the drive to be great. That’s something that’s propelled Quinn, not only though high school but through his early minor-league career with Pirates.”

He’s been in the spotlight since his sophomore season at Cary-Grove and the intensity has increased with each passing season.

Not only has Priester handled all of the attention, it’s helped him prepare for baseball’s highest level.

“He’s unflappable, very down to earth, very confident in himself,” Passaglia said. “Fantastic parents. I can’t say enough about the kind of kid that his parents raised. Mature beyond his years. With everything that was going on at the end of his career here, the All-American games, all the hype, there were more people at games than I’ve ever seen at a high school game before, most of them scouts with [speed] guns. Everybody writing articles, little kids that wanted autographs, you wouldn’t have even known that looking at Quinn. He’s so cool when you look at him. I’m sure his insides told a different story, but just watching his demeanor and how he handled his business, it was another example of how we knew he was going to be successful.”

Business is booming for Priester, who understands the demands on a high profile prospect.

“It gets to be, not the normal, but you come to expect it,” he said. “There are going to be cameras here and there, you’re probably going to have to talk to a bunch of people. I’ve come to embrace it. It all comes with the job and with having success.

“The way I see it, it’s not really something I look forward to, but I also understand the byproduct of the goals I have set for myself. The media and the eyes do follow you, but if you’re doing the right things you’ve got nothing to worry about.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20220226/former-cary-grove-star-priester-showing-why-hes-one-of-baseballs-top-prospects