INTERVIEW – Frank Duncan Leans on Sinkerball; Motivated by Peers

The Pittsburgh Pirates may have a sleeper prospect on their hands with RHP Frank Duncan. In this interview, Duncan discusses his sinker, rec specs & more.

When we talked to Michael Ryan recently – manager of the Double-A Pittsburgh Pirates affiliate Altoona Curve – he told us that the transition from High-A to Double-A is the most difficult transition for a minor league player to take on.

Don’t tell that to Frank Duncan.

A Sleeper If There Ever Was One

You won’t find Duncan’s name on any of the recent Top Whatever lists, but that’s probably how Duncan likes it.

In talking to him recently – you can hear the full interview below – the 25 year old’s approach to his craft comes off as very workmanlike. Our talk ranged from how he managed to distinguish himself among a truly outstanding starting pitching peer group for the Indianapolis Indians that included Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Taillon, Trevor Williams, Chad Kuhl and Steven Brault just to name a few, to how his embracing of his sinking fastball really turned him into a different pitcher.

Seeing that success around him has obviously motivated Duncan, and the results spoke for themselves:

Table courtesy of Baseball Reference.

Here now is the full interview. Give a listen and see how Duncan approaches his sinking fastball, and what he expects to get out of his first Spring Training with the Pittsburgh Pirates

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Some Things Are More Important than Baseball

Duncan is a two-time consecutive winner of the Pittsburgh Pirates Community Commitment Award. The award recognizes those at each level of the organization that exemplifies service to his community.

Duncan put in a staggering 54.5 hours of community service during the 2016 season and was well-deserving of the award. In the interview, he talks about what he gets out of the work and how it helps him re-center and re-focus, all while doing good.

If you are reading this and are from the Indianapolis area, please consider donating your time to the charities and organizations that Duncan helped last season. Links are below.

• Riley Hospital for Children
• Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital
• Brownsburg Challenger League
• Autism Speaks

Featured Image Credit via Flickr Creative Commons