Pitching
Pate's endurance makes him well suited to long relief. He keeps his pitches low in the strike zone and throws a heavy ball. His fastball gets into the high 80s, but it's the sink that makes the pitch effective. Pate also has a decent changeup. The Retired or Inactive Players hope he can work on his control a little bit. Every once and a while one slips away from him and either ends up at the backstop or in the right field bleachers. He's almost as effective against righthanders as he is versus lefthanders.
Defense & Hitting
Basestealers have succeeded against Pate because his pickoff move is weak for a lefthander. Pate never has been a good fielder. Pate is a surpisingly good hitting pitcher. And I'm not sure you can say this about a pitcher, but Pate has some pop in his swing. Interesting sidenote, The Retired or Inactive Players have been known to use Pate as a pinch-runner on occasion.
2025 Outlook
Pate has below average skills, even for the low minors. One has to expect the Retired or Inactive Players will give him his walking papers before the end of the season. I just don't know if The Retired or Inactive Players are ever going to get what they expect out of him.
-- Ska Nyman, A-Ball Scout