BRADENTON, Fla. (93-7 The Fan) – Vic Black is coming off his best year as a professional.

Black, the Pirates supplemental first round pick in the 2009 draft, enjoyed a 13 save season, where he held opponents to a .189 batting average in 2012, while allowing just one run in both June and July combined while pitching for Double-A Altoona.

2012 was a breakthrough season for Black, who battled his fair share of injuries early on in his career. This past offseason, Black got back on track and was added to the Pirates’ 40-man roster.

“It’s definitely an honor and something that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time,” Black said.

In the Arizona Fall League, Black’s ERA was a misleading 11.81 as half of his earned runs in his 12 outings came in one appearance.

While he may not break camp with the team, his stock in the Pirates organization is rising and it’s very possible that he could make his big league debut in the 2013 season.

Black sat down with Pirates pre-game and post-game show host Dan Zangrilli for an extended look into what type of pitcher he is, some unconventional training techniques he uses, and what he needs to do to make the final step to the majors.