In the last three years since starting to cover the Pirates farm system on a more in-depth basis, I’ve been lucky to see some great pitching performances in person from some of the system’s top prospects.
I saw Roansy Contreras strike out eight batters over six shutout innings during the 2021 season in what was his fifth outing with the organization.
Last year I saw Luis Ortiz (4 IP, ER, 6 K), Mike Burrows (4 IP, 2 H, 6 K) and Kyle Nicolas (four perfects innings, 6 K) all pitch in a four day span.
Last night, I had a chance to see Jared Jones pitch six no-hit innings before a seventh inning home run break things up.
In my brief time going to minor league games, I know not many are there to actually watch the game, which is fine. There are times when a pitcher is dealing and gains interest from even the most disinterested.
Roansy had an incredible electric atmosphere to his outing, and by the end of it, everyone was gasping as he continually slung mid-90s fastballs by hitters over the course of his six innings.
On Thursday night, Jones got a very generous applause as he exited his game, from the home crowd as a visiting player.
Little preview of his outing, just the first inning. He strikes out the first two hitters he faces, hits a batter on a back foot slider before getting the third out by line out. #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/zd4uiB8yd2
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) June 9, 2023
Jones has long had the stuff to be an elite prospect, his first professional pitch picked up at 99 mph on the radar gun with the Bradenton Marauders. In 229.1 career minor league innings, he has 286 strikeouts (28.7 K%), and that’s consistently being one of the youngest players at the level he’s pitched in over the last three seasons.
Control has been one of the biggest concerns for Jones, but he’s in the middle of another season in which his walk rate has dropped, and only issued one free pass on Thursday.
He mixed in a changeup on several occasions, getting a couple of called strike threes with it, showing his repertoire is still expanding. After hitting a batter trying to connect on a back foot slider in the first inning, he didn’t shy away from the pitch and threw it again later, getting a swing and miss the second time around.
Jones has always been an interesting prospect, as his fastball/slider combination always seemed to put him on a path to be a late innings reliever if the command never came around.
Now that it has, it creates an all new type of projection for him, and he gives the Pirates something that they don’t have a lot of in the majors right now.
A starting pitcher who not only throws in the upper 90s (they have those), but can also generate swing and miss with their fastball. When we’ve seen some of the rotation pitch, it’s generally been because their fastball has been too hittable.
While having a swing and miss fastball isn’t a say-all, be-all necessity, it eliminates a lot of other factors pitchers can’t control when the ball is put into play. It also continues to allow his other pitches to continue to play up more.
While Ortiz and Quinn Priester are the most ‘ready’ to pitch in the majors, it may be safe to say that Jones has slowly developed into the best pitching prospect in the system, giving the greatest mix of ceiling and floor that you could ask for from a young pitcher.
Daily Video Rundown
Abrahan Gutierrez with a double in the fourth inning, one of two hits Altoona came up with in the game on Thursday. #LetsGoBucs pic.twitter.com/Kl7n7uWXP4
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) June 9, 2023
Still fresh up from Greensboro (catcher gear is all green still), Abrahan Gutierrez is quickly making an impact with the bat, picking up one of the two hits on the day for the Altoona Curve, this one being a double.
Déjà vu, anyone?
Cal always gets it done.
Cal Mitchell is currently destroying baseballs right now.
Endy Rodríguez, doubles machine.
This guy has been pretty hot too as well, another double for Endy Rodriguez.
PIRATES PROSPECTS DAILY
By Tim Williams
Looking for the nightly Prospect Watch? Check out P2Live.
**P2Live: Strong Performances from Jared Jones and Thomas Harrington
John Dreker had a preview of the DSL Pirates. Check back on Friday for a look at the FCL Pirates roster.
**Pirates 2023 Minor League Previews: Dominican Summer League Pirates
The draft is a month away, and Baseball America has their latest mock draft.
**Latest Mock Draft from Baseball America
The Pirates retained some depth with Chris Owings getting outrighted to Indianapolis. They recently acquired Alika Williams, who has more long-term upside. If a need comes up, I’d rather see Williams get a shot this time around.
**Pirates Notebook: Chris Owings Sent Outright to Indianapolis, Chavez Young to Altoona
Missed yesterday? Anthony looked at what is next for the Pirates rotation after struggles from Roansy Contreras.
**What’s Next For The Pirates Rotation?
SONG OF THE DAY
This is one of my favorite modern day bands. I’m looking forward to their new album. If anyone needs me this afternoon, I’ll probably be listening to their Lollapalooza performance from 2018 on YouTube.
