Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Three Pitchers Whose Stock Can Skyrocket

Thomas Harrington

Another early-round draft pick, this one comes in the form of Thomas Harrington. The Bucs picked Harrington as their first-round competitive balance pick this past year. Harrington was the 36th overall selection and signed for slightly under-slot value. But he wasn’t picked simply to save money after drafting and signing Termarr Johnson.

Harrington finished off a dominant season at Campbell University in 2022. Through 92.2 innings, the right-hander worked to a 2.53 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. The right-hander excelled at striking out batters (30% strikeout rate) and keeping walks to a minimum (4.9%). But he performed the best at limiting home runs, allowing just a singular long ball for a .09 HR/9 rate.

Unlike the previous pitchers we have talked about, Harrington doesn’t rely on velocity to get outs. That’s not to say that velocity alone makes either Jones or Shim’s fastball impressive, but it’s what separates Harrington from them. He only averages out around 91-94 MPH and plays up because of its carry through the zone. It’s considered an above-average offering, but his best pitch is his mid-80s changeup. This pitch is where Harrington gets most of his swings and misses. But he also has an above-average slider and curveball with average potential. Plus, everything he has is located well.

Aside from good command, there’s another reason that Harrington could rise through prospect rankings next season. There is some projection in his 6’2”, 185 pound frame. If he can add some muscle and increase his velocity, his fastball will play up even more. That doesn’t mean he’ll become the Pirates’ next flame-throwing prospect but he could sit closer to 93-95 MPH.

Harrington will likely start the year out at Bradenton but may end up seeing some time at Greensboro if he gets off to a hot start. He is 21 and will turn 22 in July, so it’s likely he may not spend much time at Bradenton. But if he conquers Greensboro, he could gain enough stock to appear on the backend of the top 100 lists.