Pirates Promoting Thomas Harrington for MLB Debut vs. Rays

The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting one of their top prospects to make his MLB debut. Thomas Harrington will be on the mound to face the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, a source confirmed to Pittsburgh Baseball Now.

Harrington was selected by the Pirates with the 36th pick of the 2022 draft out of Campbell University.

The 23-year-old has quickly ascended through the minor-league system over the last two seasons and reached Triple-A Indianapolis in 2024.

In 48 career appearances/47 starts, Harrington has gone 14-9 with a 3.09 ERA. He’s allowed 211 hits, walked 60 and struck out 261 in 244.2 innings pitched.

Harrington made 13 appearances/12 starts with Double-A Altoona last season and went 2-2 with a 2.24 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 68.1 innings. After getting promoted to Indianapolis, the right-hander made eight starts and went 5-1 with a 3.33 ERA.

He was named the Eastern League Pitcher of the Month in July while with the Curve and was tabbed as the International League Pitcher of the Week for Aug. 18-25.

Harrington is considered a top 100 prospect by both Baseball American (74th) and MLB Pipeline (78th). He’s ranked as the third-best prospect in the organization by both outlets behind fellow right-hander Bubba Chandler and infielder/outfielder Konnor Griffin.

Harrington uses a five-pitch mix which includes a fastball, curveball, slider, cutter and splitter. He also possesses excellent control. In his minor leaguer career, Harrington owns a respectable 6.1% walk rate.

During spring training, Harrington was one of the pitchers under consideration to make the Pirates’ starting rotation to start the season. Instead, he was optioned to Indianapolis in favor of Carmen Mlodzinski, who made his season debut in the Pirates’ loss to the Rays on Monday night.

But Harrington didn’t end up having to wait long to get his first taste of the big leagues, even though it will come in a minor-league stadium on George M. Steinbrenner Field under the lights on Tuesday.

With a full 40-man roster, the Pirates will have to make a corresponding move to officially add him.