Is Jordan Sheffield Already A Better Pitcher Than His Brother Justus?

Jordan Sheffield is having an impressive rookie season with the Colorado Rockies. The right-handed pitcher is following along in his brother’s footsteps.

His older brother, Justus, is currently in the Seattle Mariners’ minor league system, but he spent part of the 2021 season with the Mariners and spent the 2019 and 2020 season with them.

Sheffield is making the most of his opportunity with the Rockies.

The rookie has appeared in 22 games this season out of the bullpen and has a 2.82 ERA. Sheffield has thrown 22.1 innings and has struck out 16.

During the month of September he has made three appearances and has not given up a run in three combined innings of work.

In June, Sheffield went on the 60-day injured list with a right lat strain. But he’s made a full recovery and is back in action.

Our MLBbro had some motivation watching his brother’s path to the league.

“It just made me a little more hungry,” Jordan said of watching Justus make it to the big leagues first. “A little more motivated to get up here. I always tune into his games and love watching him perform. I always want the best for him.”

 

Jordan has quickly adjusted to working out of the bullpen and it’s something he enjoys doing.

“I think it just fits my personality,” he said. “I like to go out and pitch with emotion. I think it works better as a reliever.”

Throughout the season, Sheffield has shown a lot of improvement on the mound and Rockies manager Bud Black has shown a lot of trust in the rookie.

“With a rookie, you don’t want to throw him into the fire too early,” Black said during the season. “He’s definitely earning more of these types of games based on how he’s throwing the ball.”

On the mound, Sheffield features a fastball that averages 96 mph and he can come close to 100 as well.

There’s no doubt that the fastball has been his most effective pitch, but he also features a slider and a changeup.

While he has a strong command of the fastball, he’s constantly working on his secondary pitches which will make him more effective on the mound.

In his first season, Sheffield knows that he has to get better each day and there’re no days off.

“Just trying to stay focused,” he said. “Come to the field every day and be the same guy. I’m not trying to do too much. Whenever I’m out there, just compete and give it all I got.”

This brother has been grinding ever since he came into the league. In 2016, the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the first round of the Major League Draft.

After spending a few seasons in the Dodgers’ farm system, the Rockies selected him in the 2020 Rule Five Draft.

 

Now his dreams of playing in the big league have come true and as the 2021 season is coming to a close, Sheffield will continue to make a name for himself in Colorado.

If you haven’t seen this brother pitch yet, you are missing out. This guy has an electric arm.