Pirates prospect Nick Kingham undergoes Tommy John surgery

Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Nick Kingham will be sidelined for the next 12-18 months after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his elbow, the team announced Thursday.

Kingham, the 67th-rated prospect according to Baseball Prospectus, posted a 4.31 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 31 1/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis this season.

The procedure was done by Dr. Altchek, who also performed Tommy John surgery on Pirates top prospect Jameson Taillon in April 2014.

Kingham, 23, was selected by the Pirates out of high school in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.