Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Five Super Sleepers to Watch

Aug 11, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington (left) talks with manager Derek Shelton (right) during batting practice before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 11, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates general manager Ben Cherington (left) talks with manager Derek Shelton (right) during batting practice before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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RHP Jack Hartman

Don’t feel too bad if you don’t remember the Pirates drafting Jack Hartman. The right-hander was a massive under-slot signing in the fourth round after they went with over slot picks with three of their first four selections. All of Nick Gonzales, Jared Jones, and Nick Garcia went over slot, which meant they needed to go under slot in the 4th round with Jack Hartman.

Hartman, unfortunately, had to undergo Tommy John surgery in February 2021, meaning his professional debut will be sometime this year. When the Pirates signed Hartman, he was coming off a 12 inning season with Appalachian State University. He only allowed four earned runs with 22 strikeouts but walked nine batters.

The right-hander is your typical relief prospect with a power fastball and wipeout slider. He has poor command but gets a ton of strikeouts and doesn’t let players barrel up the ball. If he can even improve his command to just slightly below average, he’ll do just fine.

Hartman is a bit older as 2022 will be his age-23 season. He’ll likely get his season started at Greensboro and possibly work his way up to Altoona by the end of the campaign. If Hartman can continue to deliver that high-90’s fastball and improve his command just a bit, he has a chance to become the team’s best relief prospect.