Nick Pivetta Makes Second Start For Reading Tonight

By Matt Leon

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Phillies have added several big, right-handed starting pitchers to their minor league system over the past several months.

Included in that group is Nick Pivetta. He was acquired by the Phillies from Washington in the Jonathan Papelbon deal a few days before last month's non-waiver trade deadline.

"Honestly, I had no idea I was going to be traded," Pivetta tells KYW Newsradio. "It's a great honor to be traded to this organization for Papelbon. I think anybody in my situation would be very, very grateful for that and I'm just happy to be here."

Listen to the entire interview with Reading's Nick Pivetta:

Pivetta will make his second start as a part of the organization tonight as he takes the mound for Reading at home against New Britain. His first appearance was a struggle, as he allowed seven runs in five innings in a loss to New Hampshire. But the 22-year-old Pivetta is a highly regarded prospect who was a fourth-round pick of the Nationals in the 2013 Draft. He breaks down his repertoire.

"I throw a fastball, curveball, change-up, two-seam," Pivetta says. "Like to pound the zone, throw lots of fastballs and use my off-speed later in counts."

Reading is Pivetta's third stop this season. He started the 2015 campaign with Washington's High-A squad, the Potomac Nationals, before being promoted to Double-A Harrisburg and then joining the Fightin Phils after the trade. So what are the goals for the rest of the year?

"The sky's the limit," Pivetta says. "It'd be cool to get a big-league call-up one day, but just to finish the year healthy and strong and see where it goes. Anything can happen."

Pivetta and the Fightin Phils host New Britain tonight at 7:05.

You can follow Matt on Twitter @mattleonkyw.