The Minnesota Twins’ time of certainty has ended. Free agency is around the corner. The Twins may be able to retain one or both of Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda. Other arms like Dallas Keuchel, Tyler Mahle, and Emilio Pagan are also set to hit the free market. The Twins will need to replace them, but that shouldn’t be difficult. David Festa may force his way onto the roster regardless of who Minnesota retains.
Minnesota drafted Festa, a 23-year-old right-hander, in the 13th round of the 2021 draft. He looked impressive in each of his two minor league stops last season. Festa produced a 4.39 ERA in 80 Double-A innings and a 2.92 ERA in 12.1 Triple-A innings. He’s ascended the minor league ranks quickly despite being a late-round pick, owning a 3.30 career ERA in the minors.
Festa is 6’6” with a noticeably over-the-top release. He throws three pitches, a four-seam fastball, changeup, and a slider, similar to Lucas Giolito’s mix.
Here’s David Festa’s delivery out of the stretch:
Lucas Giolito’s delivery out of the stretch:
Giolito’s right arm is tucked a little more than Festa’s, and Festa moves slightly more across his body. The arm slot, release point and compact throwing motion is quite similar. In essence, Festa looks like a more athletic, stretched out Giolito. Giolito had a good MLB stretch from 2018-2020, but Festa’s stuff looks better.
Like Giolito, Festa looks to elevate his four-seamer. It has great life at 95 mph, touching 97 at times. Giolito’s four-seamer sits at 93 mph. Festa’s over-the-top arm slot likely means he gets excellent active spin on it, hinting at its potential as a high-whiff pitch. He’s able to establish a good floor with it. However, his ceiling remains high.
But like Gilito, Festa’s changeup is his defining pitch. He commands it fairly well, throwing it at 86 to 87 mph. Festa also mixes in a hard 88 mph slider. His slider gets some chases, but he can also have it land in the zone for called strikes.
Festa displayed all three of his pitches in his August 30th Triple-A debut. He went five innings against the Columbus Clippers, allowing just four hits and one walk en route to just one earned run. He struck out seven and got 20 (!) whiffs, with 12 of them coming from his changeup.
In the clip below from that start, Festa showcases his upside. He gets a whiff upstairs with his four-seamer at 1-0 after missing with his changeup outside. At 1-1, he perfectly places his changeup at the bottom of the zone. The batter was clearly early and swung over it. Had the batter not swung, Festa still would’ve gotten to 1-2.
It’s at this point where Festa needs to either throw his changeup again, but this time beneath the zone, or a slider down and in, which can be risky to a lefty. With the batter almost certainly aware of Festa’s changeup, he’s likely staying in on it while still ready to react to the four-seamer to foul it off. Festa misses the changeup high and gives up a single.
Festa has only needed two secondary pitches thus far in his career, but some scouts have called for him to add a curveball to the mix. He’s reportedly obliged.
Tyler Glasnow is the best example of an over-the-top pitcher with a four-seamer/curveball combination. Although the Tampa Bay Rays starter has more velocity and extension than Festa, the reasoning is still the same.
Glasnow’s 97 mph fastball profiles with plenty of ride and boosted velocity because of his extension. Hitters struggle to catch up to it, let alone make contact. With so many hitters needing to sell out for it if they wish to make contact, Glasnow can mix in a curveball that tunnels well before falling off the table, leading to lots of whiffs.
Festa doesn’t yet have a good feel for a curveball. Although it may not be for another year or two before it could become a plus pitch for him, its addition would only help. Festa weighs 185 pounds, according to his MLB page. His fastball could improve if he adds weight and muscle.
Regardless of how free agency shakes out for the Twins, David Festa’s play may demand a call-up.
