Pirates Sign Former Phillies Pitching Prospect

Pipkin also threw a slider, a changeup and a curveball for a four pitch mix, giving him a solid choice of pitches to work with.

His slider was around 87-88 mph, his changeup close by around 86-87 mph and then his curveball ran around 79-80 mph.

Pipkin is an imposing figure as well, standing 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, someone that commands the mound.

Dominic Pipkin's Background

It's been a while since Pipkin has pitched as a professional, not doing so in 2025 and then spending much of 2024 injured, making just nine appearances across three different levels over one month.

Pipkin's last season where he pitched a substantial amount of games was in 2023, but even that season saw him miss the first two-and-a-half months with injury.

He still made 23 appearances, including pitching in 18 games with Double-A Reading, posting a 2-2 record, a 3.66 ERA over 19.2 innings pitched, one save in three opportunities, 23 strikeouts to seven walks, a .222 batting average allowed and a 1.17 WHIP.

Pipkin's previous two seasons in 2021 and 2022 with relatively injury-free and he spent that time with High-A Jersey Shore.

He made 13 starts in 30 appearances in 2022 with a 4-7 record, a 5.01 ERA over 73.2 innings pitched, 64 strikeouts to 51 walks, a .262 BAA and a 1.66 WHIP. He started 12 of 16 games in 2021, with a 4-3 record, a 4.97 ERA over 58.0 innings pitched, 64 strikeouts to 27 walks, a .264 BAA and a 1.47 WHIP.

The Phillies took Pipkin in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Pinole Valley High School in Pinole, Calif., about 23 miles northeast of San Francisco.

Pipkin pitched for two seasons in the Phillies minor leagues, at Gulf Coast League Phillies East in 2018 and then Single-A Lakewood in 2019. He didn't pitch in 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the minor league season.