Phillip Andrew Irwin...Is a 2006 graduate of Christian Brothers High School in Memphis, TN, where he lettered three years in baseball...Posted a 21-4 record over three years and was a two-time All-State, All-Region and All-Metro selection in 2004 and 2005...Helped lead his team to a Tennessee state championship in 2005 and a runner-up finish in 2004...Had Tommy John surgery in 2006 before playing three seasons at the University of Mississippi, where he was a teammate of Lance Lynn, Drew Pomeranz and current Bucco farmhand Nate Baker...Went 12-4 with a 4.14 ERA (134.2ip/62er) in 33 games (22 starts) during his career at Ole Miss...Signed by Pirates scout Darren Mazeroski.
2013
Began season with Triple-A Indianapolis...Was victorious in his first start on 4/8 vs. Toledo (6.0ip/4h/1r/1er/1bb/5so)...Was recalled by Pittsburgh on 4/14 and made his Major League debut that afternoon vs. Cincinnati; made spot start for the injured Wandy Rodriguez; gave up four runs in 4.1ip and received a no-decision in Pittsburgh's 10-7 win...Was optioned back to Triple-A on 4/15 but did not pitch again until 5/2 due to arm fatigue...Gave up one hit in 4.0 scoreless innings of work on 5/2 at Lehigh Valley...Did not pitch again during the regular season...Was reinstated from minor league D.L., recalled by Pittsburgh and placed on MLB 60-day disabled list on 6/3 due to ulnar neuritis...Had ulnar nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow in Pittsburgh on 7/3 (surgery performed by Dr. DeMeo and Dr. Tang)...Participated in the Arizona Fall League and went 1-2 with an 8.62 ERA in five starts with Scottsdale (15.2ip/21h/15r/15er/6bb/14so).
2012
Went 8-7 with a 2.83 ERA (130.1ip/41er) and 117 strikeouts in 23 minor league games (21 starts) at three different
levels...Ranked fifth among Pittsburgh farmhands in ERA...Made season debut on 5/5 with Class-A Bradenton while recovering from a
forearm injury and earned the victory after giving up one run in 5.0ip...Was transferred to Double-A Altoona on 5/10 and suffered a loss in
his first start with the Curve; surrendered four runs in 5.0ip on 5/11 at Erie...Pitched 2.0 scoreless innings in relief of the rehabbing Jeff
Karstens on 6/19 vs. New Britain (2.0ip/0h/0r/0bb/3so)...Went 0-0 with a 5.05 ERA in his first nine games (eight starts) with the Curve
and 4-2 with a 1.24 ERA in his last nine games (eight starts), beginning on 6/29...Gave up just one run while tossing first career complete
game (8.0 innings) on 7/15 at Akron, but suffered loss in Giovanni Soto's no-hitter...Pitched his second straight complete game in a victory
over Erie on 7/21...Tossed his third straight complete game and recorded first career shutout on 7/27 vs. New Hampshire...Earned Eastern
League Pitcher-of-the-Week honors for week of 7/23-30...Made second relief appearance and gave up one earned run in 5.0 innings on 8/6
vs. Bowie...Made final start with the Curve on 8/11 vs. Trenton...His 1.24 ERA from 6/29 to 8/11 was the third-lowest among full-season
minor league pitchers and the lowest among all Double-A pitchers in that time...Was promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis on 8/16 and received
a no-decision in first start on 8/18 at Syracuse...Gave up one run in 6.0ip while winning first Triple-A decision on 8/23 vs. Louisville...
Tossed 6.0 scoreless frames while winning second game on 8/28 at Toledo...Started and won Game Three of the first-round playoff series
against Charlotte on 9/7; tossed 7.0 scoreless innings and gave up just two hits while whiffing a career-high 11 batters in the 8-0 victory
at Charlotte...Was named Altoona's Pitcher-of-the-Year following the season.
2011
Went 13-4 and posted a 3.14 ERA in 25 combined games (24 starts) between Bradenton and Altoona...Led all Pittsburgh farmhands
in wins while ranking fourth in ERA and tied for fourth in strikeouts (109)...Was charged with one run or less in each of his first six starts
with Bradenton and had a 0.96 ERA (28.0ip/3er) following his start on 5/21...Was victorious in each of his last three starts with the
Marauders...Tossed 6.0 scoreless innings and won his Double-A debut on 6/19 vs. Harrisburg; did not allow a hit until the fifth inning...
Made lone "relief appearance" on 7/6 and tossed 6.2 innings vs. Akron (rehabbing Joe Beimel started and pitched an inning)...His eight
wins from 6/19 thru the end of the season tied for second among all Double-A pitchers...Made one relief appearance for Mesa during the
Arizona Fall League on 10/4 (2.1ip/2er).
2010
Spent entire season with West Virginia and ranked seventh in the South Atlantic League in ERA...Posted a 0.00 ERA (4.0ip) in his
three relief appearances...Made final relief outing on 5/28; made 17 consecutive starts to finish the season...Won four straight decisions
from 6/27 thru 7/24...Was named the league's Pitcher-of-the-Week for the week of 7/19-26 after pitching 7.0 innings of no-hit ball in his
win at Hagerstown on 7/24...Posted a 1.64 ERA (38.1ip/7er) in six starts during the month of July.
2009
Spent first professional season in the New York-Penn League with State College...Tossed a scoreless inning of relief in first game on
6/30 vs. Mahoning Valley...Picked up first win in second appearance on 7/5 at Williamsport...Was charged with just one earned run in his
first eight appearances (26.0ip) thru 8/5...Was scored upon in each of his last three (7.2ip/6er)...Went 0-2 with a 2.38 ERA (22.2ip/6er) in
his seven starts and 1-0 with a 1.29 ERA (7.0ip/1er) in three relief appearances.
