Hardin, Tyson

[ClosetBrewerFan]

From MLB.com:

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 55 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 55 | Overall: 50

Hardin spent two years at Daytona State College before transferring to Mississippi State, only to never break out of the Bulldogs' bullpen. The Brewers still took him in the 12th round in 2024, signed him for $147,500 and transitioned him to a starting role on the pro side with impressive early results. Hardin posted a 2.72 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP with 96 strikeouts over 96 innings between High-A and Double-A in his first full season. His 4.4 percent walk rate and 20.4 percent K/BB rate were tops among Brewers farmhands with at least 90 frames in ’25.

The 6-foot-2 right-hander sits 93-95 mph with his four-seam fastball, and he makes up for the average velocity by generating decent ride from a low release. He’ll wear out the top rail of the zone with that four-seamer and then drop in a low-80s slider that gets good sweep to the lower gloveside corner. An upper-80s cutter isn’t quite as sharp as others in its pitch class, but the jump in velo from the slider allows it to sneak up on lefties, leading to soft contact. Hardin has an upper-80s changeup for opposite-side bats, but it’s too firm, leading to issues with splits.

Hardin flows well on the mound and kept pumping strikes at each level in 2025. That type of control helped his case not only to start but to remain in a bulkier role in his first taste of the pros. Better batters might have more success against him in the zone, and that’s something that will be tested at the upper levels. If his gains continue, Hardin could factor into Milwaukee’s rotation depth by the second half of his age-24 season.

 

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