‘Win-win’: What makes Butler’s Kyle Casteel, Nolan Stefaniak pitching prospects in 2026 MLB Draft
Nolan Stefaniak and Kyle Casteel might be selected in the MLB draft this summer. They might not.
The Butler seniors, both pitchers, have spoken to professional scouts, but neither seems to be in a hurry to etch what’s next in stone.
“It’s the best place you wanna be to worry about if you’re gonna get drafted or go to college,” said Casteel, who’s committed to West Virginia. “People dream to go to college and people dream to get drafted. ... At times, I get a little nervous whenever I’m going to throw a pitch and (I see) a bunch of radars up there. But at the same time, it’s me and my catcher, Mavrik (Clement), and we’re gonna have fun.
“I like to think of my pitching as art.”
Put a pin in that.
Stefaniak, too, reminds himself not to get ahead of his skis. He posted a 1.43 ERA in 39 innings of work last season and pledged to play at Penn State before the pros came knocking.
“It’s awesome to have these scouts, just talking to them and just obviously talking baseball,” Stefaniak said. “And just realize that a dream could come true. I’m still in high school. I’m not there yet. I could still go to college.
“There’s no lose-lose. It’s all just win-win, no matter what.”
Casteel describes the duo’s synergy as being a “1A and 1B” situation. The two push each other every day and are zeroed in on winning a WPIAL Class 6A crown more than on what their futures hold.
“It’s just staying in command of everything,” Stefaniak said of his own goal. “The velo’s gone up a little bit, and I’ve added a new pitch. It’s just trying to stay in the zone with everything and throw everything for strikes.”
While playing catch in the offseason, Stefaniak began workshopping a “gyro slider,” which uses a football-type spin. He also has a four-seamer — which climbs to 97 mph — a two-seamer, a change-up and a sweeper.
Casteel, meanwhile, employs a three-pitch mix — a fastball, change-up and sweeper. His fastball clocks as high as 96 mph. In 25.1 innings on the mound last season, he gave up 13 hits, struck out 46 and had a 0.82 ERA.
“The biggest thing for me is just that fastball location, playing off for me,” Casteel said. “If it’s working that day, I’m going to keep throwing (that), and then (use the) sweeper and everything. I want to use all my pitches just to show off to everyone and let them know what I can do.”
Casteel credits his competitive relationship with Stefaniak as a large part of the reason they’ve grown into what they’ve become.
“We train at the same place every single day, so I feel like we’re seeing each other, we’re in most of the same classes,” Casteel said. “We’ve created that bond to where we’re together enough and we’re pushing each other the hardest.
“I feel like that’s why we’ve gotten this good. ... I don’t want him to out-work me.”
A pitching artist, Casteel’s favorite class the two have together is drawing. He views sketching as a way to take his mind off baseball, typically scribbling whatever comes to mind.
“At times, this can get stressful,” Casteel said. “Any time I can just detach from it and remember, ‘It’s a kid’s game, and I’m a kid. I’m a teenager.’”
Stefaniak likens the pressure to having college scouts in the seats, but “just another level.” He and his family haven’t spoken about his prospects, presumably not to add any more weight on his shoulders.
“I’m all 50-50,” Stefaniak said. “I really just like kinda just trying to stay present with everything. Whatever happens, happens. You probably have a gut feeling at that moment and realize what you wanna do.”
The Golden Tornado are 5-1 entering Thursday’s WPIAL Section 1-6A home matchup with North Hills, the last of a three-game series.
