The Pittsburgh Pirates have released three lower level minor league players. Catcher Jhan Polanco, pitcher Miguel Diaz and outfielder Franrielis Bastardo have all been let go recently.
Polanco played during the 2018-19 and 2021 seasons, making it up to the Florida Complex League in his final year. He was injured for all of 2022, so he was limited to a total of 71 games in pro ball over his career, seeing a majority of his time with the 2019 DSL Pirates. He got on base at a good clip, hitting .233/.398/.345 in 267 plate appearances. He is 22 years old.
Diaz spent three seasons in the DSL, before finally making it to the Florida Complex League in 2022, where he had a 5.65 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP and 16 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. He is 21 years old.
Bastardo was noted as having plenty of raw power when he signed, but it didn’t translate to pro ball. He played in the DSL in 2019 and the FCL in 2021-22, playing a total of 81 games. He finished with a .206/.297/.358 slash line, with an OPS that dropped each year. He is 20 years old.
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball.
When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.
A little off topic, but yesterday the Marlins signed Yuli Gurriel to a minor league contract. If Gurriel has been available why Choi? Why Santana?
I may be alone but I want Maggi to make the opening day roster.
Dude has earned a shot as short as it may be he is tough as nails and a legit leader.
Good luck Drew!
In my travels in the physical therapy world I had patients with the last name Crapps and Schartz. No joke. Never knew which name I wouldn’t want more. Still wondering if I think Bastardo would be a cool last name or not.
Wish all these three well.