Pirates sign 2020 fourth round selection Jack Hartman 

The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced they have signed right-handed pitcher Jack Hartman, the club’s fourth round selection (108th overall) in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft.

The 21-year-old Hartman went 1-0 with four saves, a 3.00 ERA (12.0ip/4er) and 22 strikeouts in 10 relief appearances as a senior this past season at Appalachian State (NC) University, where he became the fourth-highest player selected in the draft in the program’s history.

“Jack hasn’t been pitching for very long but already shows very promising stuff with a fastball/slider combination that we believe has a chance to be very effective at the professional level,” said Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington. “He’s a strong, physical pitcher with strong character and work ethic. We look forward to working with Jack in a Pirates uniform.”

During his first season with Appalachian State in 2019, Hartman recorded 26 strikeouts in 21.2 innings over 20 appearances. Prior to pitching for Appalachian State, he played for the College of Central Florida in 2018, where he made 15 relief appearances while also hitting .310 in 25 games. He also played for Tallahassee (FL) Community College in 2017.

The Pirates have now signed three of their six selections from the 2020 draft.