2014 Statistics-(AAA&AA)
159 IP/3.34 ERA/3.64 FIP/6.7 SO9/2.9 BB9
2015 ZiPS Projections (MLB)
4.30 ERA/4.29 FIP/6.29 SO9/3.11 BB9
Why the Ranking?
Kingham will be the first of a string of top right-handed pitching prospects to arrive in Pittsburgh over the next two years. While he may not have the upside of many of the prospects that will follow him, Kingham appears to be one of the safest bets to stick in the major league rotation for most of his career. He also has the biggest chance to make an impact during the 2015 season.
Kingham throws fastball that sits between 92-95 mph and touches the upper 90s from time to time. The pitch has decent movement in addition to strong command for most of his minor league career. His repertoire is completed with two above average secondary pitches: a curveball and a changeup. Kingham struggled early in the 2014 season at Altoona, but was able to find his rhythm a few months into the season. Once promoted to triple-A, Kingham dominated in his early starts. Unfortunately, he was not able to complete the year with the same level of production.
As has been stated throughout, these rankings the Pirates will not be rushing Kingham to the majors. However, they have also shown when a prospect is ready they will find a spot for him on the major league roster, either through injury or the demotion of a struggling player. This should be the case for Kingham by the middle of the season, especially if the command issues that he showed early in Altoona were a fluke. I suspect as much since he has not had these issues at any point in his time in the minors. If this is the case he will do more than enough to earn this ranking.
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