Should Mariners Pursue Former Pittsburgh Pirate Nick Kingham

After 32 games pitched with 19 starts, the Pirates finally pulled the plug on their longtime prospect Nick Kingham. But now that he has been DFA’d, the question is: should the Seattle Mariners pursue that opportunity.

For the rest of the season, every time a player is DFA’d, we will likely ask the question: whether or not the Mariners should pursue the said player. Today’s candidate is 27-year-old right-handed pitcher Nick Kingham.

His time in the Major Leagues has not been all that exciting. His 6.59 ERA, 4.85 xFIP, 17.7 HR%, and 37.7% ground ball rate, don’t exactly scream upside play. And before you make the joke, yes that does seem to fit the Mariners current pitching staff nicely.

But the real question should be about what Kingham can be, not what he has been in what is still, ultimately, a small sample size. There are some positives to Kingham. He does have a career 8.21 K/9 rate and a reasonable 3.5 BB/9 as well.

His scouting report shows the potential for 3 above-average pitches, including a fastball that sits 91-93 MPH, a curveball with good depth, and a changeup that is hit or miss. While he doesn’t have pinpoint command, he does throw a fair amount of strikes.

But perhaps the biggest point in his favor is his solid success in the high minor league. In 142 starts in the minors, Kingham has a 3.46 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP, and 7.7 K/9. The Mariners currently have Wade LeBlanc and Tommy Milone taking starts in their big league rotation, so it’s not like they don’t have an opportunity to give.

Now, is Kingham likely to be a long-term fixture in your organization? No. But he is cheap and controllable. Which means the question comes down to whether or not the Mariners think they can find something to “fix” Nick Kingham.

The fix could be as simple as pitch selection. The Pirates are known for having their pitchers throw more fastballs than any other coaching staff. Could Kingham benefit from throwing his off-speed more?

Or perhaps the change is more complicated like adding a new offering to his arsenal. These are the questions GM Jerry Dipoto must ask and ultimately find an answer too. The Mariners have a need for pitching depth in their rotation and bullpen, and Kingham is at least another arm that you may be able to extract some value from.

Is Nick Kingham a “must get” or even an “obvious” one? Perhaps not. Does that mean they shouldn’t at least ask these questions? Absolutely not. Kingham will come cheap and may not work out. But he very well may, making him a risk worth taking.