The Pittsburgh Pirates, having lost four of their first five games this season, are calling up one of their top prospects. Right-hander Thomas Harrington is being promoted for his MLB debut Tuesday night, the team announced. Harrington lost the No. 5 starter competition in spring training, but will get an opportunity to join the rotation less than one week into the season.
Harrington, 23, was the No. 36 pick in the 2022 draft out of Campbell University and a consensus top-100 prospect this spring. He broke out in a major way last season, throwing 117 ⅓ innings with a 2.61 ERA and 115 strikeouts against only 19 walks while reaching Triple-A. Our R.J. Anderson ranked Harrington as Pittsburgh’s third best prospect entering the season. Here’s his write-up:
The short hook: Another near-ready right-hander
Harrington split most of last season between Double- and Triple-A, demonstrating that he’s almost ready for The Show by compiling a 2.61 ERA and a 6.05 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 22 appearances. Harrington has a five-pitch arsenal that’s fronted by a low-90s fastball and that contains several quality breaking balls, in his sweeper and curve. He also throws a cutter that serves as a bridge pitch between the sweeper and the fastball. Overall, there’s enough stuff and pitchability here to envision him slotting into the middle of the Pirates rotation before Flag Day.
Carmen Mlodzinski was tagged for four runs on seven hits and two walks in 3 ⅔ innings in Monday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays (TB 6, PIT 1). Before that, Pittsburgh’s starters had gone at least five innings and allowed no more than two runs in each of the team’s first four games. The bullpen has allowed 12 runs in 18 ⅓ innings though, hence four losses in five games.
Mlodzinski, who beat out Harrington for the final rotation spot in spring training, had a 3.38 ERA in 50 ⅔ relief innings a year ago. The Pirates have not yet announced their longer term rotation plans, though sliding Mlodzinski back into the bullpen and giving Harrington the rotation spot is a pretty easy and straightforward move that would help the rotation and bullpen. Expected No. 2 starter Jared Jones was placed on the 60-day IL Monday while he waits out a UCL sprain.
The Pirates have lost four of their first five games for the first time since starting 1-4 in 2021. They went 61-101 that season. Reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes is scheduled to start Wednesday’s series finale against the Rays.
Pittsburgh will need to open both a 26-man and 40-man roster spot for Harrington prior to Tuesday’s game.
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