Thomas Hatch, a reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates, reportedly traveled abroad to pitch in Japan.
The Korean news outlet IS Plus said on Thursday that Thomas Hatch, a reliever for the Pittsburgh Pirates, is leaving the country.
Hatch is about to ink a $1.8 million deal with Nippon Professional Baseball’s Nippon Ham Fighters. Several KBO clubs in South Korea were reportedly pursuing him as well, but he decided to travel to Japan instead.
Hatch’s signing earlier this month allowed the Pirates to secure his spot on their 40-man roster, which means that as the offseason goes on, the team will have more space available. In August, Hatch was selected by Pittsburgh off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.
In his brief tenure in Pittsburgh, Hatch was 1-1 with a 4.03 ERA, 1.343 WHIP, and 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 12 games. Hatch made 27 appearances while in Toronto from 2020 to 2023, going 3-3 with a 5.40 ERA, 1.650 WIHP, and 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings.
Nine of his 59 MLB appearances during his career were starts.
Hatch enjoyed a lengthy career in the farm systems of the Chicago Cubs and Blue Jays, going 33-45 with a 4.18 ERA, 1.297 WHIP, and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. In his 153 minor league appearances, he started 118 of them.
Hatch was never going to play a significant or reliable role in the major leagues for the Pirates in 2024, but the front office thought highly enough of him to keep the veteran pitcher out of the Rule 5 Draft. Hatch is leaving Pittsburgh as well. Earlier this fall, the team waived, non-tendered, or allowed a few depth relievers, including Yerry De Los Santos, Hunter Stratton, and Chase De Jong, to reach free agency.
