NICK KINGHAM
RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: November 8, 1991
Height: 6′ 5″
Weight: 210
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 4th Round, 117th Overall, 2010
How Acquired: Draft
High School: Sierra Vista HS (Las Vegas, NV)
Agent: Dan Evans/Donn Parris, West Coast Sports Management

Links:

Interview with 4th Round Pick Nick Kingham

 

 

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

The Pirates continued to go heavily for prep pitchers in the early part of their 2010 draft by taking Kingham. Baseball America rated him 186th overall, while PGCrosschecker ranked him 125th. According to BA, he threw his fastball in the upper-80s to low-90s, hitting as high as 94, with good movement. His size gives him very good projection. His change could become above-average, but his curve needs work. Kingham may have slipped under the radar screen just a little, because he wasn’t able to play in his junior year due to a transfer, and most scouting attention in Nevada in 2010 focused on Bryce Harper. He committed to Oregon, but signed about a week and a half before the deadline.

2010
R:  0-0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3 IP, 0.0 BB/9, 6.0 K/9

Made a couple brief appearances in the GCL in 2010.

2011
A-:  6-2-0, 2.15 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 71 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 6.0 K/9 

Pitched in the State College rotation and had a very encouraging season.  Opponents hit .238 against him and he walked very few.  His K rate was on the low side.  It says something that he won six games; the Pirates monitor workloads for high school pitchers closely at the lower levels and they often don’t last five innings.  In his last ten starts he pitched at least five innings each time and never allowed more than one run.  His fastball ranged from 89-94.  BA ranked him the league’s 9th best prospect.

Kingham pitched well in training camp, with his velocity sitting around 92-93.  He’ll go to West Virginia in 2012 and can establish himself as one of the team’s top pitching prospects.

STATS
Baseball Reference–Minors
Fangraphs
MiLB.com

Level
W-L-Sv
G
IP
H
BB
K
BB/9
K/9
WHIP
ERA
2010 HS
8-3-0
13
59.0
48
17
73
2.6
11.1
1.10
2.01
CONTRACT INFORMATION
2012: Minor League Contract
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $480,000
MiLB Debut: 2010
MLB Debut: N/A
MiLB FA Eligible: 2016
MLB FA Eligible: N/A
Rule 5 Eligible: 2014
Added to 40-Man: N/A
Options Remaining: 3
MLB Service Time: 0.000
TRANSACTIONS
June 8, 2010: Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 4th round, 117th overall pick; signed on August 4.