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Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Rum Bunter’s Preseason Top 10

By Noah Wright

PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 18: Catcher Henry Davis, who was selected first overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates takes batting practice on the field after signing a contract with the Pirates at PNC Park on July 18, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - JULY 18: Catcher Henry Davis, who was selected first overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates takes batting practice on the field after signing a contract with the Pirates at PNC Park on July 18, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Justin Berl/Getty Images) /
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Bishop Eustace/Sader Baseball Club’s Anthony Solometo delivers a pitch during the Last Dance World Series South baseball game between Bishop Eustace/Sader Baseball Club and Cherokee/Marlton Chiefs played in Owens Park in Williamstown on Tuesday, July 21, 2020. The Bishop Eustace/Sader Baseball Club defeated Cherokee/Marlton Chiefs, 11-5.Last Dance World Series South Baseball 5 /

Number 8 – LHP Anthony Solometo

The Pirates selected Anthony Solommeto as the first pick in the second round. Arguably a first-rounder, Solometo was ranked as the 17th best prospect in the draft by MLB Pipeline. His delivery and command make him one of the Pirates’ best pitching prospects.

Solometo’s known for his funky delivery, with it being a mix of Madison Bumgarner’s arm slot and Dontrell Willis’s wind-up. He has a high leg-kick and low-arm slot, which makes all of his offerings play up. Speaking of his offerings, let’s take a look at those.

His fastball is genuinely an elite offering. He throws the pitch with authority and command. He usually sits around the 90-92 MPH range but can reach back for more. He has hit 94-96 MPH before. His primary off-speed pitch is a changeup. The southpaw also has two versions of his breaking ball: a slider and a slurve. This is a good video if you want to see all of his offerings in action:

Solometo’s delivery is very deceptive, but he also has elite command. He was considered the second-best command pitcher in the draft behind Gunnar Hoglund. This, plus four great offerings, gives him the ace-potential you like to see from your early picks in the draft.

He’s still a young arm. Solomon is only 19-years-old, but by the time he reaches the majors, he may be hitting closer to 92-94 MPH and topping out around 96-97 MPH. He’s a highly talented pitcher who might approach top 100 status at the end of this season.

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