JT Brubaker

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #16 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: A sixth-round pick out of Akron in 2015, Brubaker slowly climbed the minors and appeared on the cusp of the majors in 2019, but a forearm strain followed by right elbow irritation limited him to six starts. He returned healthy in 2020 and made the Pirates' Opening Day roster, beginning the year in the bullpen before moving into the rotation. In his nine starts, Brubaker recorded a 5.53 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 16 walks in 42.1 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker's fastball sits 93-94 mph with plenty of horizontal movement and generates a lot of ground balls. Both his upper-80s slider and low-80s curveball are swing-and-miss offerings that played against major leaguers. His curveball is a slurvy pitch that grades at least average, while his short slider flashes plus when paired with his hard sinker. Brubaker also flashes an average changeup and at least average control. He has a tall, muscular frame that can handle a starter's workload, though his recent arm injuries are reason for pause.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Pirates will give Brubaker a shot to win a rotation spot out of spring training in 2021. He should settle in as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #18 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Brubaker entered the 2019 season expecting to be one of the Pirates' first callups to the rotation, but injuries got in the way. After opening the year strong at Triple-A Indianapolis, he missed two months with a forearm strain and then was shut down for the year with right elbow irritation after two rehab starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker has a big, sturdy frame that allows him to eat innings as a starter. He progressively ramped up his fastball velocity to the point it now touches 99 mph. He also added a hard cutter in 2018 that increased his strikeout rate and made him very tough against righthanded hitters. Brubaker has struggled against lefties at times and will need a better changeup to stick as a starter. It currently is a fringe-average pitch that is often too firm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brubaker projects to be healthy for the start of the 2020 season and should enter the season once again as a top depth option. His fastball and cutter could work wonders out of the bullpen and give him a chance to eventually pitch in late relief if needed.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #27 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Brubaker had unspectacular numbers at Akron, posting a 3.63 ERA and 72 strikeouts in 89.1 innings as a junior, but the Pirates liked his rangy frame and signed him for below slot money. He was more dominant in the New York-Penn League than he ever was in college, however, posting a 0.94 WHIP and 49 strikeouts against 12 walks in his pro debut.
  
  Scouting Report: Brubaker found it more difficult to retire high Class A and Double-A hitters in 2016 and 2017, but he was dominant in his first six starts at Double-A in 2018. He moved up to Triple-A Indianapolis and was the Pirates' most reliable starter there with a 3.10 ERA. The biggest improvement for Brubaker was execution with his fastball. With long limbs, his above-average fastball can touch 96 mph without over-exerting himself, but he was too often missing in the middle of the plate. He was more consistent in dotting the corners in 2018, which produced more strikeouts and soften up the contact some. He also throws an average slider in the upper 80s with a sharp downward break, an average curveball and a fringe-average firm change up that isn't much slower than the fastball but that can produce ground balls.
  
  The Future: Brubaker will likely still be in the Triple-A rotation to start 2019 but could get a major league look if he continues to perform. The Pirates added him to their 40-man roster during the offseason.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A sixth-round pick out of Akron in 2015, Brubaker slowly climbed the minors and appeared on the cusp of the majors in 2019, but a forearm strain followed by right elbow irritation limited him to six starts. He returned healthy in 2020 and made the Pirates' Opening Day roster, beginning the year in the bullpen before moving into the rotation. In his nine starts, Brubaker recorded a 5.53 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 16 walks in 42.1 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker's fastball sits 93-94 mph with plenty of horizontal movement and generates a lot of ground balls. Both his upper-80s slider and low-80s curveball are swing-and-miss offerings that played against major leaguers. His curveball is a slurvy pitch that grades at least average, while his short slider flashes plus when paired with his hard sinker. Brubaker also flashes an average changeup and at least average control. He has a tall, muscular frame that can handle a starter's workload, though his recent arm injuries are reason for pause.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Pirates will give Brubaker a shot to win a rotation spot out of spring training in 2021. He should settle in as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: A sixth-round pick out of Akron in 2015, Brubaker slowly climbed the minors and appeared on the cusp of the majors in 2019, but a forearm strain followed by right elbow irritation limited him to six starts. He returned healthy in 2020 and made the Pirates' Opening Day roster, beginning the year in the bullpen before moving into the rotation. In his nine starts, Brubaker recorded a 5.53 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 16 walks in 42.1 innings.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker's fastball sits 93-94 mph with plenty of horizontal movement and generates a lot of ground balls. Both his upper-80s slider and low-80s curveball are swing-and-miss offerings that played against major leaguers. His curveball is a slurvy pitch that grades at least average, while his short slider flashes plus when paired with his hard sinker. Brubaker also flashes an average changeup and at least average control. He has a tall, muscular frame that can handle a starter's workload, though his recent arm injuries are reason for pause.
  
  THE FUTURE: The Pirates will give Brubaker a shot to win a rotation spot out of spring training in 2021. He should settle in as a back-of-the-rotation starter.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Brubaker entered the 2019 season expecting to be one of the Pirates’ first callups to the rotation, but injuries got in the way. After opening the year strong at Triple-A Indianapolis, he missed two months with a forearm strain and then was shut down for the year with right elbow irritation after two rehab starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker has a big, sturdy frame that allows him to eat innings as a starter. He progressively ramped up his fastball velocity to the point it now touches 99 mph. He also added a hard cutter in 2018 that increased his strikeout rate and made him very tough against righthanded hitters. Brubaker has struggled against lefties at times and will need a better changeup to stick as a starter. It currently is a fringe-average pitch that is often too firm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brubaker projects to be healthy for the start of the 2020 season and should enter the season once again as a top depth option. His fastball and cutter could work wonders out of the bullpen and give him a chance to eventually pitch in late relief if needed.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Brubaker entered the 2019 season expecting to be one of the Pirates' first callups to the rotation, but injuries got in the way. After opening the year strong at Triple-A Indianapolis, he missed two months with a forearm strain and then was shut down for the year with right elbow irritation after two rehab starts.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Brubaker has a big, sturdy frame that allows him to eat innings as a starter. He progressively ramped up his fastball velocity to the point it now touches 99 mph. He also added a hard cutter in 2018 that increased his strikeout rate and made him very tough against righthanded hitters. Brubaker has struggled against lefties at times and will need a better changeup to stick as a starter. It currently is a fringe-average pitch that is often too firm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Brubaker projects to be healthy for the start of the 2020 season and should enter the season once again as a top depth option. His fastball and cutter could work wonders out of the bullpen and give him a chance to eventually pitch in late relief if needed.