Atlanta Braves select Indiana pitcher Luke Sinnard in 2024 MLB draft

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Luke Sinnard is heading to the Atlanta Braves organization.

Atlanta selected Sinnard, a right-handed pitcher from Indiana, on Monday with the 99th overall pick in the third round of the 2024 MLB draft.

Sinnard is the first Hoosier off the board this year, and he’s the 14th Indiana player all-time to crack the top 100. He’s also Indiana’s 21st single draft pick since Jeff Mercer became head coach in 2019.

Sinnard is a 6-foot-8 right-handed pitcher who missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Indiana went 43-20 overall and 16-8 in the Big Ten in 2023, and Sinnard was a big reason why. He was the Hoosiers’ ace, posting a 4.27 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with nine outings of six or more innings pitched and seven with eight or more strikeouts.

In his lone season as a pitcher for the Hoosiers, Sinnard struck out 114 batters in 86.1 innings, and he allowed 25 walks, 20 doubles, 15 home runs, seven hit batters and a .249 batting average against.

Sinnard pitched in Indiana’s first game of the 2023 NCAA Tournament in Lexington. But after allowing two hits, two earned runs and five strikeouts, he left with an injury that caused him to miss the entire 2024 season.

Sinnard transferred to Indiana ahead of the 2023 season after starting his career at Western Kentucky. As a freshman, he pitched 26.1 innings with 28 strikeouts, 11 walks and a 7.18 ERA.

Here’s the full scouting report on Sinnard from MLB.com.

Scouting Notes: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 55 | Overall: 40

“Sinnard had a 7.18 ERA as a freshman at Western Kentucky in 2022 before transferring to Indiana and having a spectacular sophomore year. He broke an 89-year-old Hoosiers record with 114 strikeouts in 86 1/3 innings and looked like a potential second-round pick. Then he injured his elbow in an NCAA regional start last June and underwent Tommy John surgery that cost him the 2024 season, though he began doing bullpen workouts for the clubs in late May.”

“Prior to his injury, Sinnard drew plenty of chases and empty swings with a fastball that sat at 91-93 mph and hit 96 with high spin and carry rates. Both of his breaking balls were effective, with his 78-82 mph descending curveball missing more at-bats and his mid-80 mph slider/cutter getting more chases. He sporadically showed a low-80 mph changeup with depth that lacked much deception.”

“With his high three-quarter arm and 6-foot-8 frame, Sinnard presents an unusual look to hitters. Despite his size, he does a good job of keeping his long limbs in sync and hitting the strike zone. If he can regain his skill and refine his control, he could become a middle-of-the-rotation starter.”