The Pirates officially named top pitching prospect Gerrit Cole the start for Tuesday's game against the Giants, confirming earlier reports.
Cole, who entered the season as Baseball America's No. 7 overall prospect, has a 2.91 ERA in 12 starts for Triple-A Indianapolis. The top pick in 2011's draft has struck out 47 batters in 68 innings, while walking 28. He has not allowed a run in his last 19 innings of work heading into his major-league debut.
It is not yet clear whether the injury-riddled Pirates' rotation will require his services for the remainder of the season, or if he will just make one or two starts before being sent down.