Pittsburgh Pirates Tyler Glasnow: Star Prospect Promoted

Tyler Glasnow has finally been promoted by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Should the star prospect now be a must add off the waiver wire?

The Pittsburgh Pirates have had their fair share of struggles this season, with their biggest being in the rotation. With Gerrit Cole and Jameson Taillon on the DL, and rough performances from Francisco Liriano and Jon Niese, the rotation has been problematic all season. But, could the promotion of, Tyler Glasnow, turn things around?

Glasnow was a 5th round draft pick for the Pirates in 2011 out high school in California. The 22-year-old stands in at, 6’8 and 225 pounds, so it is safe to say that he has a presence on the mound. Glasnow will make his debut on July 7th for the club against the Cardinals, serving as a great first test. The Pirates have already had to turn three rookies in the rotation, so with the rotation’s struggles and desperate need of quality innings, Glasnow has a great chance to cement a role with a solid debut start.

He entered the 2016 season as being ranked routinely in the top 20 prospects in all of baseball. His talent in undeniable, and all Pirates’ fans have been patiently waiting for him to make his way to the majors. That anticipation has been further heightened, by Glasnow’s sheer dominance in the minors.

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At AAA this season, Glasnow has been able to post a ludicrous, 1.78 ERA/113 K/10.6 SO9, line over 17 starts. Couple that with the fact that he has a career 2.08 ERA across all minor league levels, and fantasy owners can see why Glasnow certainly garners such high praise. He features a fastball that tops out at 99 mph, a devastating curveball, and a changeup. His 6’8 frame offers not only power, but deception as well, as his windup makes it appear as though he is releasing his pitches nearly right on top of the batter.

Tyler Glasnow has the build, and the arsenal to succeed at the major league level, but his command can become a nuisance. While his height is more beneficial than not, it does cause him to struggle maintaining a consistent delivery. In the minors he has averaged four walks a game, which will obviously be exploited by major leaguers if not refined.

Even though command can often scare some fantasy owners off of a prospect or any pitcher in general, Glasnow makes up for it with his overpowering stuff. As he has progressed through the minors, he has lowered his Hits/9 at nearly every stop of the way, which should help ease some of the worries that owners may have.

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In terms of adding him off the waiver wire, Tyler Glasnow needs to be a top priority. Whether it be his dominance in the minors, or the top prospect hype that surrounds him, he is way too talented to pass up. The Pirates have high hopes for him, and now with a rotation that is in dire need of help, Glasnow becomes a potential season saver. For fantasy owners he could do the same, as we have seen star prospects become key factors down the stretch. Make the move.

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