Altoona pitcher Connor Wietgrefe went 4-1 with the Curve before the Pirates promoted him this past week. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Over his final three starts with the Altoona Curve, Connor Wietgrefe was one of the most effective pitchers in all of minor league baseball. In fact, it wouldn’t have been possible to be any more effective as he allowed no runs over his final 18 innings on the mound.

“I’ve just been trying to get ahead and put hitters away when I’m ahead,” Wietgrefe said. “That’s been the biggest thing. And just using all my pitches to keep them off-balanced.”

The southpaw isn’t going to fire fastballs at a blazing speed. In his own words, he isn’t going to ‘blow you away.’ He only tops out around 94 miles per hour and will rely on a slider, sweeper, and changeup as well as a two and four-seam fastball.

“I’ll still use my heater to put you away, and then make it seem a little harder than it is just by mixing in pitches a little earlier in the count,” Wietgrefe said. “I think that’s what’s helping me make 90-92 look a little harder than it is. I use the off-speed in the zone to make them respect all the pitches.”

Wietgrefe got the call up to Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday. He was handed the loss in his debut after allowing five earned runs on eight hits over six innings of work.

But his work in Altoona made fans turn their heads, compiling a 4-1 record and a 3.78 earned run average over 66ª innings.

“Connor has always been a really good strike-thrower,” Curve pitching coach Kevin Walker said. “The biggest thing he’s doing now is he’s mixing his arsenal really well.

“I think the biggest thing is he’s found the confidence to throw any of those pitches in any count. It’s tough for hitters when they don’t know what’s coming.”

Walker also noted that Wietgrefe has cleaned up his location, which is critical of pitchers that aren’t fireballers.

“There’s a difference between throwing and pitching, and Wietgrefe is a pitcher,” Walker said.

“We had a conversation the other day and I said, ‘You need to watch (Boston Red Sox starter) Ranger Suarez pitch.’ A guy that’s 91-93 and uses his cutter on both sides of the plate, curveball, changeup, and really knows how to pitch. That’s what I’ve seen out of Connor lately.”

While pitchers have to be good to go on a string of three starts without giving up any runs, there has to be cooperation with defense, as well. Wietgrefe pointed out that it isn’t all his work. His defense has been superb behind him, including a diving play by Jack Brannigan last week. Brannigan was called up to Pittsburgh on Thursday, the same day Wietgrefe was promoted to Indianapolis.

“The defense is making a lot of great plays for me, and helping me shorten the pitch count and keeping me out there for seven innings, which is huge to save the bullpen,” Wietgrefe said.

The last time Wietgrefe gave up a run in Altoona was on June 2, and he came out of the bullpen for the only time this season. He still went five innings and only allowed one earned run.

Wietgrefe was open to the idea of using an opener before he came in.

“It was an idea from the coaches, and I was like, ‘Absolutely,'” he said. It was a good change.”

Wietgrefe was a seventh-round draft pick of the Pirates in 2024 out of the University of Minnesota. He also grew up in Minnesota, which isn’t exactly conducive for a high school baseball season.

He credits growing up in the cold weather with making him a better player.

“The high school season is really short,” Wietgrefe said. “We’re practicing inside on a gym floor. We’re pretty used to the cold.”