Pirates Draft Three Players

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected shortstop Termarr Johnson with the fourth overall selection in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft on Sunday. The 18-year-old Johnson was rated the No. 4 prospect in the draft by both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America and was tabbed by the latter as the “Best Pure Hitter”, second- “Closest to the Majors” and tied for third for “Best Defensive Infielder” among high school players in this year’s draft. MLB Pipeline also rated Johnson as the “Best Hitter” in this year’s draft class. As a junior in 2021, the five-foot-10, 175-pound left-handed hitter was rated by Baseball America as the No. 1 high school draft prospect in the country after he hit .417 with eight doubles, five triples, nine home runs and 23 stolen bases. Johnson, who graduated from Mays (GA) High School, was a 2021 Perfect Game All-American Classic selection. The club has selected right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington with the 36th overall selection in the Competitive Balance A Round, and left-handed pitcher Hunter Barco with the 44^th overall pick in the Second Round. Harrington, who turned 21 on July 12, went 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA (26 ER in 92.2 IP), 111 strikeouts against just 18 walks and a .204 opponent average in 15 starts for Campbell University last season, earning Big South Pitcher of the Year honors after he led all NCAA pitchers in wins and set new school records in both wins and strikeouts. Barco, 21, went 5-2 with a 2.50 ERA (14 ER in 50.1 IP), 69 strikeouts, 11 walks and a .187 opponents average in nine starts with the University of Florida in 2022 before undergoing season-ending Tommy John Surgery in May. Prior to suffering the injury, he was named the No. 1 pitcher in college baseball by D1 Baseball on March 30 and earned SEC Pitcher of the Week and Dick Howser Trophy National Pitcher of the Week honors on February 22.