Pirates A to Z: Colin Selby's swing-and-miss action could be boost to bullpen

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z: An alphabetical, player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Miguel Andujar to pitcher Bryse Wilson.

Player: Colin Selby

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 25 (Oct. 24)

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 218 pounds

2022 MLB statistics: None

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration

Acquired: Selected in the 16th round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Randolph-Macon College

This past season: If Selby was a surprise addition to the 40-man roster last month, it was because his name was nowhere to be found on the Pirates’ top 30 prospect list by MLB Pipeline.

That the Pirates protected Selby from the Rule 5 Draft was proof that he was one of the best in their bullpen.

Selby took an unconventional path. He’s the product of a Division III program, Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Va., and signed for $125,000 after being selected in the 16th round in 2018.

A three-year starter in college, Selby started 28 games in his first two professional seasons. He was 6-3 with a 2.97 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 86 strikeouts and 27 walks in 88 innings at Class A Greensboro in 2019 but required Tommy John surgery the following March.

Grasshoppers manager Kieran Mattison moved Selby to the bullpen in 2021, and he went 3-1 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 59⅔ innings. Selby touched 100 mph for the first time and saw his strikeouts per nine innings jump from 8.8 to 10.1.

Selby was one of the pitchers Pirates farm director John Baker mentioned in the summer of 2021 when talking about the organization’s pitching prospects with high velocities.

“I can remember going to a Greensboro game and seeing Colin Selby and Enmanuel Mejia and Grant Ford coming out of the bullpen for us, and our ‘pen is coming out at 96, 97, 98, then Selby comes in the game and it’s 99, 99, 99,” said Baker, a former major league catcher. “I saw this as a player once or twice a year. I go out and watch minor league baseball this year, and I’m seeing this stuff every single night.”

Selby worked exclusively in relief at Double-A Altoona this past summer, going 2-2 with 2.20 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 32⅔ innings, averaging 11.3 strikeouts and 3.9 walks per nine innings.

He pitched more than one inning 10 times and had two or more strikeouts in 13 appearances. Selby fanned five of the six batters he faced against Somerset on May 13, struck out the side in the eighth inning and fanned four batters in 1⅔ innings against Bowie on July 30 and had three Ks, including a pair in the 10th inning, at Erie on Sept. 11.

Colin Selby strikes out the side in the eighth and punches four batters over 1.2 innings of relief!???????? pic.twitter.com/Yj2dukP7IK

— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) July 31, 2022

Two massive strikeouts from Colin Selby send us to the 11th inning!! pic.twitter.com/Pz7qaGeSuB

— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) September 11, 2022

Nine days later, Selby was one of six players promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis. He allowed one run on two hits, including a home run, and had two strikeouts in three innings. That was enough to impress the Pirates, who didn’t want to risk losing him to another team.

They sent Selby to the Arizona Fall League, where he allowed two runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out nine batters in nine innings over nine appearances.

Colin Selby pic.twitter.com/gopLRLhUWZ

— MiLB Clips (@MiLBClips) November 13, 2022

The future: Selby is on track to join the Pirates’ bullpen next season, given the front office’s stated desire to add more swing-and-miss arms.

Selby has a four-pitch repertoire that features a fastball, curveball, slider and a changeup. His slider was ranked the best in the Pirates’ system by Baseball America.

Selby is likely to start the season in Indianapolis but could be an injury away from making his major league debut.