Report: Pirates Sign Fourth-Round Draft Pick LHP Michael Kennedy

According to Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, the Pittsburgh Pirates have signed fourth-round draft pick Michael Kennedy.

he prep left-hander receives a $1 million signing bonus, well north of the $554,800 slot value attached to the 110th pick.

Kennedy was ranked as the 89th-best prospect available in this year’s draft according to Pipeline. The 17-year-old from New York was one of the youngest players in this year’s draft, as he doesn’t turn 18 years old until the end of November.

The southpaw features a three-pitch mix, led by his plus fastball and plus slider, both registering as a 55-grade on the 20-80 scouting scale. Kennedy also features a changeup which shows promise.

Another element of Kennedy’s game that is appealing is his good command and strong feel for pitching, especially for his age.

The 6-foot-1 left-hander bypassed his commitment to LSU in order to sign with the Pirates.

For the Pirates, Kennedy was one of 16 pitchers (including two-way player Jack Brannigan) selected in the draft.

The deadline to finalize signings with the 2022 draft class is Aug. 1, and the Pirates still have several more picks yet to put pen to paper. Among them is first-rounder Termarr Johnson.