Nolan McLean of the New York Mets has developed an unprecedented 39-inch combination that makes him exceptionally difficult to hit. His remarkable skills have established him as a rising star in Major League Baseball.
Mets' Nolan McLean has an unprecedented 39-inch combo that makes him unhittable originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Nolan McLean is one of MLB's most absurdly gifted athletes.
This is a guy who could've played quarterback at Oklahoma State. Instead, he simply developed into a monster two-way baseball player for the Cowboys.
These days, he has become a rising star on the mound for the New York Mets. There are a bunch of reasons McLean is hard to hit.
One of them -- well, really, two of them -- might be the most notable.
McLean's combination of his sweeper and his tailing sinker forms a tandem never seen before in MLB history.
His sweeper moves 21 inches to his glove side. His sinker moves 18 inches to his arm side.
Never before has a pitcher had two pitches move 39 combined inches in opposite directions, at least in the era where this information is tracked, according to MLB.com's Mike Petriello.
And if you're wondering -- yes, it looks as ridiculous as you think:
Sometimes, when pitches move that much, they can be hard to harness. But right now, it appears McLean has everything under control.
That's certainly scary for opposing hitters. Even just one of these pitches from McLean would be tough to handle. Both? Good luck.
Nolan McLean's 39-inch combo refers to a specific pitching technique or skill set that enhances his effectiveness on the mound, making him hard to hit.
Nolan McLean could have played quarterback at Oklahoma State but chose to focus on baseball, where he has excelled as a two-way player and pitcher.
Nolan McLean is considered a rising star due to his exceptional athleticism and unique pitching abilities that contribute to his success in Major League Baseball.
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