Pittsburgh Pirates: Three Potential Rule 5 Draft Selections

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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – AUGUST 29: Pitching coach Oscar Marin of the Pittsburgh Pirates meets with J.T. Brubaker #42 in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on August 29, 2020 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day, which was postponed April 15 due to the coronavirus outbreak. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Pitcher Riley Pint

Riley Pint was selected with the 4th overall selection in the 2016 MLB Draft. The right-handed Colorado Rockies prospect has some electric stuff.

Pint has an outstanding fastball. It averages out 97-99 MPH range and he’s been able to touch 102 MPH. FanGraphs sees it as an elite 70-grade pitch. His slider is just as good. It has a future 65 grade with 2750 RPM of spin. MLB Pipeline states that his curveball could be a third elite pitch, but has some inconsistency.

The biggest issue Pint has faced so far is control. Through 156 career minor league innings, Pint has walked 124 of the 747 batters he has faced. His current command grade of 20 is the lowest of any ranked prospect by FanGraphs.

However, Pint has also faced some injuries. Since being taken 4th overall in 2016, he’s had a forearm strain and oblique injury, both in 2018, that kept him out most of the season. Despite this, his stuff can still reach triple digits.

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Pint would definitely be a very interesting pick. He has all the talent in the world, but the lack of control would make any team think twice. Still, he’s only 23-years-old and if he becomes a reliever, he could really hone in on his control on one or two of his pitches. He’s definitely a guy to keep an eye on.