Christian Aiello sits in the mid-80s on his fastball, and there aren't many traits elsewhere in the profile that scream MLB Draft. Looking at his pitch metrics, you would never expect the lefty to have punched out 70 batters in 53 innings — or to have helped lead Rider University to an NCAA regional. The last player drafted out of Rider was Nick Margevicius in 2017, a name Mariners fans might remember as a mid-tier one-hit wonder in 2020. This year's Rider team went 33-18 in the MAAC, largely under the radar from a scouting standpoint. While the lack of velocity and traditional draft traits is real, the counterargument is equally real: Aiello is a pitcher who rises to the moment, and he'll have a chance to cement his legacy on Friday against the University of Florida.
He isn't even a starter. Aiello appeared in 20 games this year, only …