5 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects to watch at the Florida Complex League

David Matoma

Uganda isn't typically a hotbed for baseball talent. But that didn't stop the Pirates from signing right-hander David Matoma out of the country in the 2022-2023 off-season. Matoma is just the third Ugandan baseball player to sign with a Major League Baseball team in North America. Matoma is an interesting story, but has powerful stuff on the mound too.

Matoma hits triple-digits and reportedly hit 100 on his first strikeout of the season. On top of lighting up radar guns, Matoma made a great first impression last year. He pitched 16.2 scoreless innings for the Pirates' Dominican Summer League affiliate with 14 K's and seven walks.

Baseball America is very high on Matoma, ranking him as the Pirates' 30th-best prospect already. They include in their write-up that Matoma's fastball has good induced vertical break and that he can hit the zone with his three secondaries, including his mid-80s cutter, curveball, and his change-up. Command might be his weak point as it sits at a fringe-average level right now, but with a 100 MPH fastball and the potential for average command in the future, he might do alright.

If Matoma stays as a reliever, the Pirates might be able to move him through the system with more haste. He's a powerful arm with the potential for a plus-plus fastball and two average or better secondary offerings. The command might not be the best, but as long as it doesn't stray below fringe average, he should be okay.