Pittsburgh Pirates Draft: Three College Pitchers to Watch

Tanner Hall

Tanner Hall is a pitcher out of the University of Southern Mississippi. Hall has many traits that could make him a high-floor starting pitcher. Although not an overwhelmingly powerful arm, he has consistently shown a strong ability to command his stuff, which helps everything play up.

Hall has a 2.70 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 3.03 K:BB ratio in 2023. Hall has shown a strong ability to limit home runs throughout college and is sporting a 0.56 HR/9 rate. The only downside is that Hall’s walk rate and strikeout rate are both down from last season. Hall’s 8.8% walk rate and 26.8% strikeout rate are both solid numbers but a downgrade from the 3.1% walk rate and 32.2% strikeout rate he had in 2022.

Despite a downturn in overall numbers, Hall has still looked really good. The right-hander is not a flamethrower. He sits around 88-92 MPH but can generate a ton of weak contact with his four-seamer. But the real weapon in his arsenal is his change-up. Not only does it have some deception because of his ability to tunnel it so well with his fastball, but it has enough tumble and cut to be a pitch with plus-plus potential. Don’t sleep on his slider either, as it’s the pitch he gets the most swings-and-misses with.

Hall has almost laser-like accuracy when he throws his fastball. He also commands his slider and changeup well. Most sites don’t view him as a proto-typical starting pitching prospect, but you can’t help but be intrigued by his ability to command his stuff and put it where he wants. That could help his stuff play up in the long run and make him a long-term starting pitching project for whichever team drafts him.