Fremont Native Debuts in MLB

While the buzz is local, pitcher Thomas Harrington's journey to the Pirates began in Sanford, North Carolina. He graduated from Southern Lee High School in 2020, where he also played quarterback, and joined Campbell University's baseball team as a walk-on. His collegiate career quickly took off. After being named the Big South Freshman of the Year in 2021, Harrington had a dominant 2022 season, earning Big South Pitcher of the Year honors and leading all NCAA Division I pitchers with 12 wins. The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Harrington 36th overall in the 2022 MLB draft, signing him with a reported $2,050,000 bonus. He was ranked as the 45th best prospect in the draft by MLB Pipeline. He spent 2023 and 2024 moving through the Pirates' minor league system, playing for affiliates like the Double-A Altoona Curve and Triple-A Indianapolis Indians. Across three levels in 2024, he compiled a 2.61 ERA with 115 strikeouts and only 19 walks over 117.1 innings. In his major league debut against the Tampa Bay Rays, Harrington pitched four innings, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and four walks while recording two strikeouts. Before his call-up, Harrington was ranked as the Pirates' No. 3 prospect and the No. 78 prospect in all of Minor League Baseball, according to MLB Pipeline.