Since joining professional baseball as a 14th-round amateur draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2003, pitcher Jake Cuffman hasn't worked a lot of innings.

At least, not a lot that counted.

The Butler graduate has pitched just 73 innings in three years with the Pirates organization, including 35 innings this past season with short-season Class A Williamsport.

"It's all part of the process," said Brian Graham, Director of Player Development for the Pirates. "We're very pleased with his progress, particularly this season.

"Jake's learning how to pitch. He's beginning to spot his fastball on the inside and outside corner. The key is getting him to the point where he has command of all of his pitches and can throw them at any time in the count."

Cuffman won't turn 21 until March 3. He was 1-1 at Williamsport with a 3.86 earned run average in 21 games this past season. He had two saves — both late in the season — and allowed just 19 hits.

"The lack of innings pitched don't bother me because I've been in extended spring training the past two years," Cuffman said. "I probably threw 90 innings this year, but only 35 of them counted.

"I pitched in Florida through mid-June. You're on the mound during the day, it feels like 110 degrees … It wasn't fun."

Baseball became fun for Cuffman when he joined Williamsport and began pitching in night games in front of 3,000 people.

"It felt like I was playing a game again," he said. "I became relaxed and settled in."

While Cuffman was among the Crosscutters' team leaders in strikeouts with 32, he also walked 25. Only Joe Bauserman had more walks (26) on the Williamsport pitching staff — and he pitched 69

innings.

Cuffman did hold opponents to a .162 batting average against, leading the Crosscutters in that category and finishing among the top five in the Pirates organization.

"For me, it's all about getting that first-pitch strike," Cuffman said. "When I do, I get strikeouts. My goal is to get a first-pitch strike 65 percent of the time. Last year, I was probably at 55 to 57 percent.

"The really good pitchers have enough confidence to throw any pitch at any time. I'm not there yet."

Cuffman attended Pirates' camp in the Florida Instructional League after the season. Graham said his fastball runs from 89 to 93 miles per hour.

"He's averaging around 91 and that's very good," Graham said. "Jake has a strong, live arm. We want to give him the best development possible, but we have to keep the organization in mind, too.

"Time is on Jake's side. There are other pitchers with us longer who are in front of him right now."

Translation: Cuffman will likely continue to pitch in relief while more seasoned prospects eat up innings as starters.

Next stop for Cuffman will likely be Class A Hickory of the South Atlantic League.

"I think their plans are for me to be a back of the bullpen guy, either a set-up man or a closer," Cuffman said. "I feel like I have what it takes to be a starter, but relief pitching is fine with me."

Matt Capps, a close friend of Cuffman's in the Pirate system, pitched for Hickory this past season and posted 23 saves.

Capps wound up being a late-season call-up to the Pirates' major league roster.

"It can happen that quickly if you pitch well out of the bullpen," Cuffman said. "You can soar right through the system."

Cuffman's pitching coach last year at Williamsport, Dave Lundquist, is moving on to Hickory in 2006.

"That's a break for Jake," Graham said. "They work well together."

"We scrapped everything I did and started out fresh last spring," Cuffman said. "Mechanics, set-up, we changed everything.

"You have to trust your coaches. That's why they're there. Dave's pitched in the big leagues. He knows what it takes to get there."

Following the 2006 season, Cuffman will be in his "Rule 5" year. A Rule 5 player can be plucked from his current organization if he's not on the 40-man roster, provided that new organization keeps him on its 25-man major league roster for the entire season.

Cuffman is well aware of the rule.

"That's why next season is so important to me," he said. "You never know what can happen."