There’s been no shortage of brilliant performances at the 2021 Little League World Series, but one pitcher—South Dakota ace Gavin Weir—has stood above the rest. The hard-throwing left-hander has been the star of the tournament, logging 15 strikeouts in a combined no-hitter last Friday before slugging the go-ahead homer late in Monday’s dramatic win over Oregon. The 12-year-old Sioux Falls native has not allowed an earned run in his last seven starts, compiling 100 strikeouts over that remarkable span.
Weir’s repertoire includes a plus fastball (his four-seamer sits in the low 70s, though he’s been known to hit 75 mph when the juices are really flowing), changeup, sinker and a knee-buckling breaking pitch that carried him to a perfect game against Iowa in regional qualifying earlier this month. Throughout South Dakota’s LLWS run, many have called attention to Weir’s unusual pitching mechanics, which, as pointed out by Rob Friedman of the popular Twitter account Pitching Ninja, are eerily similar to Red Sox starter Chris Sale. Notice the deceptive side-arm delivery and familiar leg kick.
While mirroring Sale’s violent mechanics may not be the best long-term approach—before returning to Boston’s rotation earlier this month, the All-Star hadn’t pitched in over two years while recovering from Tommy John surgery—Weir’s results in Williamsport speak for themselves. Weir, who ceded the final out of Friday’s no-hitter to teammate Cason Mediger after throwing the maximum 85 pitches, will be back on the hill for South Dakota when they take on Torrance, California in Wednesday’s Little League quarterfinals.
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