Three teams on the schedule Monday night and all three got rained out, so there will be no Prospect Watch. That means two doubleheaders Tuesday and Altoona will make-up their game on May 3rd. Bradenton had off Monday. As for Tuesday’s schedule, Phil Irwin will make his first regular season start since May of last year. Joely Rodriguez will get his first start as well. He is ranked #15 in our 2014 Prospect Guide. Check out the Prospect Watch from Sunday night. For a look at possible starters down the line, check out our Probable Starter Chart.
AAA: Indianapolis (4-0) @ Toledo (1-2) 5:30pm DH
Probable starter: Phil Irwin (NR) and Jay Jackson (0-0, 40.50)
Yesterday’s Result: Indianapolis was rained out
Phil Irwin will make his first start of the season during Tuesday’s doubleheader. He missed most of last year due to elbow surgery. Irwin made two starts for Indianapolis and one for the Pirates. He pitched this off-season in the Arizona Fall League, where he made five starts. In 15.2 innings for Scottsdale, Irwin had an 8.62 ERA, walking six batters and picking up 14 strikeouts. Jay Jackson will get the start in game two. He has pitched once in relief this year, throwing 0.2 innings, giving up three runs on three hits and two walks, with one strikeout. Jackson signed as a minor league free agent this Winter. He has spent parts of five seasons in AAA, but has yet to make the majors. In Winter ball in Mexico, he threw 20.1 innings without allowing an earned run. Check out the Indianapolis season preview.
AA: Altoona (1-2) vs Akron (2-2) 6:30pm
Probable starter: Joely Rodriguez (NR)
Yesterday’s Result: Altoona was rained out
Joely Rodriguez will make his Altoona debut Tuesday night. He split last season between West Virginia and Bradenton, throwing a total of 140 innings over 26 starts. He allowed 142 hits, eight homers and issued 39 walks. Rodriguez had 101 strikeouts, a .266 BAA and a strong 2.12 GO/AO ratio. He had a 2.72 ERA in 14 starts with West Virginia and 2.67 in 12 Bradenton starts. Rodriguez ranks as the #15 prospect in the Pirates system. Check out the Altoona season preview.
High-A: Bradenton (3-1) vs Palm Beach (3-1) 6:30pm
Probable starter: Jason Creasy (0-0, 3.86)
Yesterday’s Result: Bradenton was off
Jason Creasy will make his second start of the season Tuesday night. In 4.2 innings against Charlotte, he gave up two runs on five hits and two walks, with two strikeouts. Creasy spent last season with West Virginia, where he made 13 starts and 19 relief appearances. In 108.1 innings, he had a 2.74 ERA, with 106 hits allowed, seven homers and 24 walks. Creasy had 96 strikeouts, a 1.20 GO/AO ratio and a .250 BAA. Check out the Bradenton season preview.
Low-A: West Virginia (2-2) @ Asheville (2-2) 5:05pm DH
Probable starter: Dovydas Neverauskas (NR) and Shane Carle (0-0, 9.00)
Yesterday’s Result:West Virginia was rained out
Doyvdas Neverauskas will make his season debut during Tuesday’s doubleheader. The 21-year-old righty from Lithuania, spent all of 2013 with the Jamestown Jammers. He made 15 starts, throwing 60.2 innings, with 55 hits allowed, eight homers and 22 walks. Neverauskas picked up 39 strikeouts, had a 1.41 GO/AO ratio and a .243 BAA. He signed with the Pirates in 2009 and spent the first three years of his career in the Gulf Coast League. No starter has been announced yet for game two. Due to the schedule, they will need a spot starter at some point over the next five days unless there is another rain out. It is the scheduled day for Shane Carle, who went two innings in his debut this year, allowing two runs on four hits. That start was suspended by rain in the third inning. Check out the West Virginia season preview.
Recent Transactions
4/7: Barrett Barnes and Harold Ramirez placed on disabled list. Adam Landecker and Justin Maffei added to West Virginia roster.
4/6: Chris Stewart assigned to Bradenton on rehab.
4/5: Robert Andino placed on disabled list. Blake Davis added to Indianapolis roster.
4/4: Stetson Allie added to Altoona roster. Junior Sosa transferred to Jamestown roster.
4:4 Kenn Kasparek and Quinton Miller placed on disabled list. Brandon Mann added to Altoona roster.
3/29: Quincy Latimore and Erick Fernandez released.
3/27: Traded a player to be named later in exchange for Keon Broxton.
3/25: Acquired Vance Worley in exchange for cash.
3/22: Six minor league players released. Carlos Mesa, Cesar Lopez, Axel Diaz, Elvin Ramirez, Kirk Singer and Eliecer Navarro.
3/20 Zac Fuesser, Ethan Hollingsworth, Kevin Kleis and Dalton Friend released.
