Pirates name Tecumseh grad Brubaker their minor league pitcher of the year

Brubaker, 24, started the season with the Double-A Altoona Curve and was 2-2 with a 1.80 ERA in six starts before being promoted. With the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, he was 8-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 22 starts.

This was Brubaker's fourth season in the Pirates organization. Pittsburgh drafted him in the sixth round in 2015. He started his pro career with the West Virginia Black Bears in the New York-Penn League and was 6-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 2015. He pitched for the West Virginia Power and Bradenton (Fla.) Marauders in Single-A in 2016 and was 6-11 with a 4.44 ERA.

Brubaker seeks to become the first Clark County native to make it to the big leagues since Adam Eaton, the Kenton Ridge graduate who debuted in 2012 and now plays for the Washington Nationals. The last Clark County pitcher to reach the big leagues was North graduate Jimmy Journell, who appeared in 12 games for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2003 and 2005.