The Arizona Fall League wrapped up their third week of action. Here is how the Pirates prospects have done so far:
-Robbie Grossman continues to tear the cover off the ball, hitting for a .385/.474/.662 line in 65 at-bats this season. Grossman went 8-for-17 this week, with two homers in two games, both leading off the first inning. He also added six walks this week.
Grossman is tied for the league lead in homers with five on the season. He leads the AFL in at-bats (65), hits (25), and total bases (43). He falls second in walks (12), fourth in on-base percentage, seventh in slugging, and third in batting average. Most of the players ahead of him on these lists have 20+ fewer at-bats.
-Jarek Cunningham is now hitting for a .244/.314/.533 line. He had a good week, going 6-for-16. His big day came on Monday, when he hit two homers and a triple. Cunningham carried a five game hitting streak in to Friday’s game, but went 0-for-3 to break the streak.
-Brock Holt made his AFL debut this week after being sidelined with a hamstring injury. Holt only played in two games, combining to go 1-for-6 with three walks, a stolen base, and four runs scored.
-Gerrit Cole made his second start of the AFL season, and was much improved over his first start. Cole pitched three shutout innings, allowing a walk and two hits, with three strikeouts. He was working mostly in the upper 90s, and was 100+ MPH seven different times. The lineup he faced included Mike Trout, who he retired twice, and Bryce Harper, who singled off of a 99 MPH fastball. Cole has a 5.06 ERA in 5.1 innings over two starts, with a 5:2 K/BB ratio.
-Nathan Baker has a 3.68 ERA in 7.1 innings this season, with an 8:4 K/BB ratio. Baker made two appearances this week, with two very different results. On Monday he allowed two runs on three hits in an inning of work, with a walk and a strikeout. He returned to the mound on Thursday, following Gerrit Cole with two shutout innings, allowing no hits, two walks, and striking out three.
-Michael Colla has a 6.43 ERA in seven innings, with a 5:6 K/BB ratio. Colla had two rough outings this week, pitching on the same days as Baker. He followed Baker on Monday, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks in 0.2 innings. On Thursday he followed Baker again, giving up a run on one hit, a solo homer, in two innings, with a walk and two strikeouts.
-Jeff Inman replaced Phil Irwin in the AFL, and made his debut on Friday. Inman pitched a perfect inning in relief, with one strikeout.
