The 2022 MLB Draft carries on for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of baseball
It is very clear that general manager Ben Cherington wanted to address the Pittsburgh Pirates need for pitching help in the farm system during the MLB Draft. It also appears Cherington wanted to do so by flooding the system with college pitchers who could climb the system quickly.
With the team’s 6th round pick Cherington and the Pittsburgh Pirates selected Ole Miss righty Derek Diamond. Diamond was the fourth college pitcher drafted by the Pirates, joining Thomas Harrington, Hunter Barco and Jack Brannigan. Cherington and the Pirates also selected prep lefty Michael Kennedy.
Entering the season Diamond appeared to be a pitcher that could possibly go in the first three rounds of the draft. However, a poor season for the Rebels contributed to Diamond falling to the 6th round. Diamond posted a 6.89 ERA, allowing 81 hits and 14 home runs in 65.1 innings pitched.
Diamond’s fastball sits in the low-90s. During the season his fastball had dropped in velocity from previous seasons. Also, his slider appeared to have less bite. Diamond’s career and outlook with the Pittsburgh Pirates will all hinge on if he can re-discover the stuff he had prior to the 2022 season. To be honest, this pick is certainly a bit of a head scratcher.