WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2010
R:  0-1-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 9.0 K/9 

Pitched two innings late in the GCL season.

2011
A-:  2-6-0, 3.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 65.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 4.2 K/9 

Spent 2011 in the State College rotation.  He had a solid season, with a .229 opponents’ batting average and not many walks.  The one negative was a very low K rate.  His fastball sat in the 88-90 range.  He had a fairly significant platoon split:  left-handed batters hit .261 against him and right-handed batters hit .204.  He also had nearly twice the ground-out rate against the latter as against the former.  This may indicate that his changeup needs work.

2012
A-:  0-2-0, 6.08 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 13.1 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 4.7 K/9
A:  0-9-0, 8.31 ERA, 2.31 WHIP, 60.2 IP, 10.1 BB/9, 4.3 K/9

Hafner’s 2012 season was delayed by a hamstring problem.  He was throwing in the low-90s in camp, once he was able to pitch, and looked ready for a possible breakout.  Instead, his season was a disaster as he was unable to throw strikes.  He struggled through 14 starts before the team moved him to the bullpen to see whether he could gain better command in shorter stints.  The move didn’t work and the Pirates finally sent Hafner down to State College, where he pitched out of the bullpen.  He showed some improvement, but not nearly enough.

Hafner’s control issues are puzzling because he had very good control in 2011.  At that point, the main question about him was whether his stuff could generate swings and misses.  The Pirates will try him again at West Virginia in 2013, in long relief initially and maybe later as a starter.