Nick Kingham (SP, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep NL-Only Leagues Upon Call-Up / Continue Scouting

ANALYSIS: Kingham was promoted to Triple-A by the Pirates in June with the intention of getting him to the majors sooner than later. Despite a shaky performance in his most recent outing, he owns a 3.04 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP with 91 strikeouts in 121.1 innings pitched between Double-A and Triple-A. At 6'5", he has a plus, mid-90s fastball, and he has really developed both his curveball and changeup throughout his years in the minors. Overall, Kingham has dramatically improved his command and ability to mix up pitches, and the numbers back it up (4.39 ERA in 2012, 2.89 ERA in 2013). The 22-year-old has also been involved in various trade talks, especially in ones concerning David Price. Regardless of what team he is pitching for down the line in 2014, he is likely going to make the big leagues by September 1 at the latest. His ceiling isn't that of some of the top pitching prospects in the game, but Kingham is a MLB-ready prospect who will be an intriguing fantasy option immediately. When he does get the call, owners in deep NL-Only leagues will want to jump on him right away, at least as a stash, but in shallower leagues, you will definitely want to keep an eye on how he performs in his major league debut.