Monday, March 03

BRADENTON, Fla. – It was over games of Fortnite that Jared Jones and Thomas Harrington joked about the latter’s fastball movement. Harrington taught Jones his grip that offseason, Jones adopted it and his already nasty fastball got extra movement last year. Bubba Chandler claimed in Pirates camp that Harrington helped with his curveball, too.

At this rate, we just might see every pitch baseball’s No. 80 prospect has to offer before he debuts in the Majors.

“My stuff’s not gonna be new because everybody’s using it,” Harrington joked.

Pitchers sharing notes can only be a good thing, giving themselves a chance to see what works for their teammates and perhaps even replicate their success. Plenty of pitchers will also come into camp with new or tweaked offerings each year. Mitch Keller worked on his changeup this winter. Paul Skenes added a cutter and a sinker. Jones is now brandishing a two-seamer. Colin Holderman has a splitter and a four-seamer. The list can continue on and on.

But what if we cut out the middle man? Instead of learning or polishing up a pitch from a teammate, what if they could steal a pitch and add it to their arsenal?

I posed that question to pitchers in the locker room and compiled 10 answers from pitchers who should make an impact in 2025. Here’s what they had to say:

“Probably Paul’s splitter, sinker, whatever he calls it. It’s probably one of the best pitches in baseball right now. That or Jared’s fastball. I think a sinker would fit really well in my arsenal.” -- Harrington

“I’ll take that [Aroldis] Chapman 105 [mph] fastball to [Manny] Machado last year. I’ll take that all day. I faced him right after that, and I think I had one of the hardest bullets allowed last year. Machado thought that was 85 after seeing 105.” -- Holderman

“Whoever’s got the best changeup. I like the splinker for Skenes.” -- Johan Oviedo 

“Probably Beddy’s [David Bednar] splitter. I think that would be fun. I think throwing a splitter would be cool. Maybe Kyle’s [Nicolas] curveball, but I would have to change my [arm] slot a little for that. Maybe those two 90 mph curveballs are cool, and splitters are cool, too.” -- Skenes

“Keller’s got a billion. I really like [Dauri] Moreta’s slider. The wrong way slider. A little screwball. That one’s disgusting. I don’t enjoy catching that.” -- Bednar 

“I would say probably Jones’ ‘... you’ heater. I love that. His heater is unbelievable. I know Paul throws 101, but there’s something about Jared’s that’s fun to watch. It’s the mentality behind it.” -- Keller 

“It’s hard to not say Paul’s splinker, but I want to go with someone else. I like [Hunter] Stratton’s cutter. Just the way it plays off his fastball. It’s a super cut. It’s fun to watch him pitch and watch him compete.” -- Jones 

“It’s the [Skenes] splinker. I don’t have anything that goes right. I’m a cut-right guy; fastball has some cut to it, and a slider. I need something that goes right. I don’t need it, but it would be nice to have it in the back pocket.” -- Stratton 

“Either [Braxton] Ashcraft’s curveball or Beddy’s splitter. I’m jealous of Braxton’s curveball. It’s really sharp; a lot better than mine. And Bednar’s splitter is elite, and I don’t have a splitter, and I want to add a splitter one day. If I could have a splitter like his, that would be elite.” -- Chandler

“I’m gonna steal every single one of Paul’s pitches. That’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna have that guy teach me how to throw a baseball.” -- Bailey Falter

Which visiting future Hall of Fame player hit his last three home runs at Forbes Field?

A) Stan Musial

B) Babe Ruth

C) Willie Mays

D) Roy Campanella

Jones is probably his toughest critic, which made adding his new two-seam fastball a bit of a challenge. He’s had stretches where the slider was off, but the new pitch was not up to his standards for two months while throwing this winter. Even now, he’s said he’ll scrap it if he doesn’t think it is up to task.

One outing in, it looks good. Jones was looking for a pitch with some run, and he debuted it in his first spring game on Tuesday and got pretty solid immediate results, including shattering the bat of Braves first baseman Garrett Cooper.

“Introduced the two-seam, the sinker, whatever you want to call it in the game and broke a bat, so that was pretty cool," Jones said.

OK, but what do you want to call it, Jared Jones?

“Something nasty,” he answered.

Keller tweaked his changeup grip this winter, and it could be a new weapon for him against left-handed hitters. He threw his changeup just 0.7% of the time last season, but left-handed hitters posted better results against him than right-handed hitters (an .812 OPS compared to .716). A good changeup is a great way to combat hitters when they have the hand advantage.

“[I’m] just trying to identify times to throw it instead of maybe going to a spin pitch,” Keller said.

• 'Nice to have him here': Coach Daniel Vogelbach to bring new perspective to Bucs More > 

• Matt Gorski's spring power surge might lead to Majors opportunity with Bucs More >

• How a four-time Gold Glover is guiding up-and-coming players, including Termarr Johnson More >

• Which Pirates prospect has the most pop? More >

B) Babe Ruth

Ruth, then a member of the Boston Braves, launched three home runs on May 25, 1935, the final one clearing the roof in right field. The Pirates would go on to win, 11-7, and Ruth did not record another home run -- or hit -- in the Majors.

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