Pittsburgh Pirates: Three More Prospects Who Could Make Their Debuts This Season

ASU second baseman Alika Williams (5) smiles coming off the field during their game against
ASU second baseman Alika Williams (5) smiles coming off the field during their game against / Darryl Webb/For the Republic, Darryl
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Colin Selby

Colin Selby forced himself into the PIrates' future plans after a breakout 2022 campaign. A 16th-round pick, Selby looked nothing more than organizational depth heading into the 2022 campaign. However, a massive velo spike and a strong season at Altoona led to the Pirates making room on their 40-man roster for the reliever and potentially putting him on course to be another member of the Sharktank 2.0.

Selby's 2023 season hasn't gone as well as '22. He's been injured and not nearly as dominant, but overall it's still a solid campaign. Selby has a 3.55 ERA, 3.07 FIP, and 1.30 WHIP in 25 innings. Selby has struck out 31.5% of opponents faced, and his 63.2% ground ball rate is through the roof. This has helped him allow zero home runs, which is all the more impressive considering the league average HR/9 in the International League is 1.31.

Selby throws a fastball in the mid-to-upper-90s and has hit 99 MPH before. He also has a plus-plus slider, along with an above-average curveball. Control isn't his strong suit, though. He had a 10.1% walk rate last season and currently holds a 14.4% free pass rate. The injuries haven't helped things, however.

With how badly Colin Holderman has struggled recently, and Selby only allowing three earned runs with 15 strikeouts in the ten innings since coming off the IL, maybe we see Selby given a chance to overtake the set-up man role. At the very least, Selby will be in the major leagues within the very near future.