Chicago Cubs select LHP Pierce Coppola in Round 7 of 2025 MLB draft
Pegged as a weekend starter from the time he was a prospect, injuries slowed down the 6-foot-8 lefty's career, keeping him on the shelf for the better part of two seasons. When Coppola was healthy, he was among the best strikeout artists in the SEC. Coppola learned to rely on break more than power after making multiple returns to the mound, and it's easy to see why the Cubs were willing to grab him a bit higher than projections suggested.
Coppola followed Clemente and Colby Shelton (Round 6, Pick 166) in a string of Gators coming off the board.
Pierce Coppola before Florida
Coppola was a top-50 high school player in the class of 2021 out of Verona High in New Jersey. Perfect Game ranked him the ninth-best left-hander in the class, and he had Day 1 draft pick potential. Injury concerns and a strong commitment to Florida led to Coppola going undrafted.
Out of high school, Coppola threw 92-93 mph and topped out at 94 with an obviously projectable frame. The big slider and changeup also played at the prep level.
Injuries slow start in Gainesville
Once Coppola got to Florida, he immediately slotted into the Sunday starting role. He made his lone appearance for 2022 season against Liberty, striking out seven of the 20 batters he faced over 4 1/3 innings. Bulging disc surgery sidelined him for the rest of the year, burning his redshirt after things got worse quicker than expected.
Coppola could have appealed for a medical redshirt after throwing just one game before the injury, but a shoulder issue led to him missing the entirety of Year 2. By this point, the hype on Coppola was still there, but he never stayed healthy enough to pitch when it mattered in spring.
Return to action, twice
Coppola made his return in SEC play during the 2024 season. He started all eight games he appeared in but ramped up from 1-plus innings to five in an elimination game against Kentucky. Coppola gave up 23 runs over 23 2/3 innings as a redshirt sophomore, but his strikeout rate stayed above 30%, even against SEC bats following a two-year break.
Things looked good for Coppola to start the season. He went five strong in each of his first two starts, striking out 20 of the 37 batters he faced. The injury bug bit again during his third start of the year during the Miami series. It led to the rise of Aidan King in the rotation, but it's another tough blow for a player who can't seem to stay healthy. All the injuries are seemingly unrelated, too.
Coppola came back in May to help a depleted pitching staff in Gainesville through the end of the year. His 2.53 ERA and 46.7% strikeout rate over 21 1/3 innings is the stuff that gets drafted in Day 1, but there's more to the story with Coppola. If he can stay healthy, he'll be a steal for the Cubs.
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