Pirates Top Prospect Set to Make MLB Debut Against Rays
The Pittsburgh Pirates will call up one of their top young pitchers, as right-hander Thomas Harrington gets the nod Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays at Steinbrenner Field, according to sources from TribLive. The 23-year-old was selected in the 2022 MLB Draft in the third round with the 36th overall choice out of Campbell University and has moved quickly up the organization's farm system. Harrington is currently the Pirates' third-best prospect and is ranked among Baseball America's top 100 prospects, at 73rd, and MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects, at 79th. His promotion provides the Pirates with another possible arm for their rotation in their efforts to stock up on the depth of their pitching staff in the first few months of the season.
Harrington has a deep repertoire and uses a five-pitch mix to keep hitters off balance. His staple pitch is a fastball that clocks in at 92-93 mph and touches as high as 95 mph. He compliments that with a sweeper, splitter, cutter, and curveball, which makes him a full-fledged pitcher who can attack batters in multiple ways. His command has been terrific, and his strike percentage ranked among the top in minor-league baseball last year.
Although he barely missed making the Pirates' Opening Day roster, his season-opening effort and development journey have provided him with a chance to be in the big leagues. Harrington pitched four Grapefruit League games, two as a starter, during Spring Training. He posted a 5.59 ERA in nine and two-thirds innings, with seven strikeouts and three walks allowed. Despite those numbers, he displayed flashes of dominance, reaffirming why the Pirates consider him a cornerstone of their future. Last year, he thrived over three levels of the minors, going 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 115 strikeouts in 117 and one-third innings.
He closed out the year at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he was impressive at 5-1 with a 3.33 ERA and a stout 38-to-eight strikeout-to-walk ratio over eight starts. Harrington's MLB debut will feature a fascinating subplot as he faces off against Shane Baz, a 2017 Pirates draft first-rounder. Baz was traded to Tampa Bay as the player to be named later in the infamous Chris Archer deal of 2018, which also involved shipping Tyler Glasnow and Austin Meadows to the Rays. The Pirates want Harrington to provide a plug-and-play contribution, showing the ability that has made him one of their top prospects. His first appearance against a former Pittsburgh draft pick only contributes to the appeal of his first big league start.
