Thatcher Hurd had to wait quite some time to make his professional debut, but he’s now taking advantage of his time on the mound in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues.
Hurd, the Yankees’ No. 9 prospect, struck out 10 on Wednesday en route to 4 2/3 scoreless innings. His performance helped Single-A Tampa defeat Dunedin, 9-3, at TD Ballpark.
Hurd had hitters off balance all game, using his full arsenal to his advantage. He got strikeouts on the cutter (five), curveball (four) and four-seamer (one), while he generated 15 total whiffs. Hurd’s fastball topped out at 96 mph in the third inning, and he continued to run it up to 93.8 in his final inning of work.
New York’s third-round pick in 2024, Hurd dealt with little trouble Wednesday. He allowed just one hit while issuing a pair of walks. Just one opponent reached second base while he was on the bump, as Ismael Munguia stole second after a leadoff single in the fourth inning. And though Hurd walked the final batter he faced, the bullpen picked him up by immediately earning the fifth inning’s third and final out.
In total, Hurd threw 77 pitches, his most in a single outing this year, with 53 strikes. The 4 2/3 innings also matched his season long.
COMPLETE YANKEES PROSPECT COVERAGE
Hurd had Tommy John surgery in February 2025, delaying his debut until this season. The former LSU standout, however, has been dominant since returning to the mound.
His 4.15 season ERA isn’t particularly representative of how good he’s been, as a rough one on May 26 in which he allowed 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings has ballooned his numbers. He has allowed no more than two earned runs in any of his other seven starts, including three scoreless outings. Hurd has also struck out 41 in 30 1/3 innings and is allowing just a .197 batting average to opponents.