Just days after being told he didn’t make the rotation to start the season, former Southern Lee High School and Campbell University pitcher Thomas Harrington has been called up to the show and will make his first start for the Pittsburgh Pirates tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The No. 36 pick in the 2022 draft after pitching two years at Campbell, Harrington entered the spring as a consensus Top 100 prospect after throwing 117 innings in the minors with a 2.61 ERA, 115 strikeouts and only 19 walks. He’s considered the Pirates’ No. 3 prospect heading into this season and the No. 74 prospect (according to Baseball American) in baseball.
Harrington was in the mix for the Pirates’ fifth rotation spot heading into the season, but the Bucs went with Carmen Mlodzinski, another former first-rounder. Mlodzinski gave up four runs on seven hits in just under four innings in his first start, as the Pirates — who feature one of the best pitchers in baseball, Paul Skenes, as their ace — have started the season 1-4.
From MLB Trade Rumors today:
“[A dominant outing could] open the door for Harrington to claim a rotation spot. As a consensus top-100 prospect called up in the early days of the season, Harrington would be eligible to earn the Pirates a prospect promotion incentive draft pick if he sticks on the active roster for the rest of the 2025 campaign.”
Pirates manager Derek Shelton told mlb.com he was “really impressed with the spring (Harrington) had, and we think that he’s very close to being a big league pitcher.”
“It was really cool being able to stick around and be around these guys in the clubhouse,” Harrington told writer Alex Stumpf. “It gives me a world of confidence going into the season.”
4 innings, 6 runs allowed, 7 hits, 4 walks. But you gotta start somewhere.
Was your comment really necessary?
Yes, this comment was necessary. Many people are curious as to how he did.
We should be very proud of Thomas. It was his first start in the Show, he was facing a historically quality team and Manager and the home plate umpire showed him no love. Every close pitch went the wrong way for him. He would not complain but I will.
Great kid, great effort and great things to come from Thomas.
Of the kids who play organized baseball, how many ever get to “the show”? Darn few. He can be proud of that for the rest of his life if he never throws another pitch.