Fremont Native Makes MLB Debut
Former Fremont resident and baseball standout Thomas Harrington has made his Major League Baseball debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Harrington's first appearance in the major leagues marks a significant career milestone for the local athlete. The achievement highlights his transition from a promising local talent to the highest level of professional baseball.
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Thomas Harrington with the 36th overall pick in the 2022 MLB draft, signing him for a bonus of $2,050,000. He is rated as the No. 79 prospect in baseball and the third best in the Pirates' organization, according to MLB Pipeline. Harrington's journey to the pros began at Campbell University, where he joined the baseball team as a walk-on. He quickly made a name for himself, earning Big South Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2021 and being named the conference's Pitcher of the Year in 2022. In his standout sophomore season at Campbell, Harrington led all NCAA Division I pitchers with 12 wins and set a new program record with 111 strikeouts for the season. Before his collegiate success, Harrington was a multi-sport athlete at Southern Lee High School in Sanford, North Carolina, where he also played quarterback for the football team. He progressed through the Pirates' minor league system, playing for the Single-A Bradenton Marauders, High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers, Double-A Altoona Curve, and Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. In 2023, he recorded a 3.53 ERA with 146 strikeouts across two levels of Single-A. Harrington's official MLB debut took place on April 1, 2025, in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays. In his first major league start, he pitched four innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and four walks.
