Tyler Glasnow impressing early on at Pirates’ Spring Training

Although Jameson Taillon often gets most of the attention of Pittsburgh Pirates fans given he is so close to reaching the big leagues, the team’s top prospect, Tyler Glasnow, has been impressive so far this spring in Bradenton – to both teammates and coaches alike.

The hard-throwing right-hander is in camp to learn to adjust to the Major League lifestyle and learn from some of the veterans there like A.J. Burnett and Francisco Liriano. However, he’s been turning heads over the course of the past week according to a recent MLB.com report – a promising sign for the Pirates.

"“It’s been good, just getting to sit around and watch what [the Major Leaguers] do. It’s been a good experience. And I’m feeling good — a lot better than where I was at this point last year. [I’ve] got my mechanics down to where I feel comfortable, and now it’s just a matter of staying consistent with [them].”"

Last season, the former fifth-round pick dominated at High-A Bradenton, compiling a 12-5 record with a 1.74 earned run average in 23 starts. Since beginning his professional career back in 2012, he’s been nothing short of spectacular – posting a sub-2.00 ERA across 274 innings of work.

Now, despite the fact that Glasnow is working with the big leaguers, make no mistake. He’s going to open 2015 with a Pirates’ affiliate – likely Double-A Altoona (potentially Triple-A Indianapolis). That being said, his rise to the big leagues could be shorter than originally anticipated – especially if he keeps carving up opposing hitters.

Ranked as the organization’s best overall prospect and as the third-best right-handed pitching prospect in Minor League Baseball by MLB.com, Glasnow has all the makings of a future big league ace. Within the next few years, he’ll join fellow right-hander Gerrit Cole at the top of the Pirates’ starting rotation, giving the club a devastating one-two punch.

For Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle, the competitive nature of Glasnow is what’s most appealing – especially for a kid who is just 21 years old.

"“He’s still focused on getting ready for his season, wherever he might be. I’d only seen him on video — this is the first time I got to [work] hands-on with him. The biggest thing is that he got acclimated to this Major League culture. This environment hasn’t overwhelmed him. He is in a very good, competitive place.”"