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Pirates Top 30 Prospects No. 14: Carlson Reed’s Blistering Start

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Carlson Reed, Pittsburgh Pirates

This is one in a series of stories breaking down PBN’s Top 30 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects.



A fourth round pick from WVU who saw most of his success in college come out of the bullpen, Carlson Reed has turned into one of the best starting pitchers in the Pirates’ minor league system.

Reed posted earned run averages of 7.59 and 5.16 during his first two seasons in college, with command issues posing a big problem as he tried to settle in with the Mountaineers. During the 2023 season, his third and final with West Virginia, Reed moved to the bullpen full time and slashed his ERA to 2.61 with 60 strikeouts in 38 innings. Walks still posed a problem, but he managed to work around them.

The Pirates selected him in the fourth round of the MLB Entry Draft that year and have moved him back to the rotation full time, betting that his starting experience and mix of pitches will work as a professional starter. So far, that bet has paid off in spades.

On to New Heights

Reed has pitched to a 2.02 ERA during parts of two professional seasons, outdoing his best collegiate season all while occupying a more strenuous workload.

The 6-foot-4, 200 pound right-hander possesses a mid-to-upper 90s four seam fastball, complementing it with a wipeout slider for strikeouts and a changeup that plays off his velocity. Reed has 136 strikeouts in 115.2 innings pitched to start his minor league career, and he’s also adept at forcing ground ball outs with his sinker, possessing a ground out to air out ratio of 1.42 for his professional career.

He pitched the last month of the 2024 season in Greensboro, notching a 0.87 ERA despite playing in a hitters’ paradise. Given the rapid pace with which he’s advanced through the Pirates’ system to date, he could be knocking on the door of a big league debut by late 2025 or early 2026, much like the trajectory of fellow collegiate arm Thomas Harrington.

Reed’s raw talent—and more importantly, his ability to turn it into in-game success—make him one of the most fascinating prospects in the Pirates’ system.

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