The original plan was for the Pirates to throw all three of their top 100 pitching prospects on Thursday. Jared Jones was scheduled against Philadelphia. Paul Skenes was slated to start in Triple-A, while Bubba Chandler was on the mound for Altoona.
Rain postponed the minor league games, leaving Jones on his own to allow three runs in six innings of work. Rain struck Altoona again on Friday, leaving Skenes alone to throw 3.1 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. The spotlight was on Chandler on Saturday, and he didn’t disappoint.
Chandler threw four no-hit innings for the Altoona Curve on Saturday in game one of their double-header, leading them to a 5-3 win. The right-hander was working 94-98 MPH with his fastball, issuing two walks and striking out six. This was the second start of the year for Chandler, who allowed two runs in 3.1 innings last time out. He looked a bit amped in that start, but was relaxed and looked like he was having fun in this outing.
https://twitter.com/MiLB/status/1779280484641677471
I wrote about Chandler’s maturity and development, which is available exclusively for Patreon subscribers.
The trio of top 100 prospects struck out 22 batters in 13.2 innings of work.
PIRATES PROSPECT WATCH
INDIANAPOLIS lost game one of their double-header against Toledo by a score of 3-2.
- RHP Quinn Priester allowed three runs on seven hits in four innings, with no walks and eight strikeouts. Priester recorded 17 whiffs on 38 swings for a 45% rate.
- RHP Kyle Nicolas pitched two shutout innings, with a walk and a hit allowed, and five strikeouts recorded. Nicolas also picked up plenty of whiffs, recording nine on 14 swings for a 64% rate. He had six whiffs on seven swings with the slider. The fastball had three whiffs on six swings, with four called strikes.
- 2B Liover Peguero hit his first homer of the year, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. The two run shot came in the first inning, and was the only scoring of the game for Indianapolis.
- CF Matt Gorski went 1-for-3 with a double, striking out twice.
- SS Nick Gonzales went 1-for-3.
INDIANAPOLIS lost game two by a score of 13-4, after giving up seven runs in the first.
- LHP Cam Alldred got the start, allowing seven runs in the first, and pitching two innings total.
- C Grant Koch hit a solo homer, his first of the year, going 2-for-3 in game two.
- RF Canaan Smith-Njigba hit a two RBI triple in the second inning, helping to battle back from the seven run deficit.
- 3B Malcom Nunez had two hits, including his third double of the season.
- SS Nick Gonzales went 1-for-4 in this game, with his eighth double of the year. Gonzales has hits in all but one game this season, and he’s reached base safely in every game. He currently has a seven game hitting streak.
ALTOONA won 5-3, getting out to an early lead, behind no-hit pitching from Bubba Chandler.
- After Chandler left the game, LHP Nick Dombkowski came in to pitch two innings. He had some control problems, allowing three walks. This led to a run in the fifth inning. He settled down for a scoreless sixth.
- C Abrahan Gutierrez had two hits, with his first double of the season. He opened the scoring in the first inning with an RBI single.
- SS Kervin Pichardo knocked in two runs, one on a hit and one on a fielder’s choice. Both times he scored Gutierrez.
- CF Matt Fraizer went 1-for-2 with a walk. He stole two bases tonight, taking second off two different pitchers.
- 2B Francisco Acuna went 1-for-2 with a walk.
ALTOONA lost game two by a score of 7-3 in a quiet game by the offense.
- RF Tres Gonzales had the most productive game at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two walks and a stolen base. He moved to third on a throwing error on the steal, and scored as a result of getting into position.
- CF Jase Bowen got on base with a walk, stole his third base of the season, and scored a run. He played first base in the first game of the double header.
- C Dylan Shockley went 1-for-3.
- RHP Sean Sullivan pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two walks. Sullivan struck out five, including three in a row in the first inning to escape a bases loaded jam. He allowed his runs in the third inning on a three run homer.
- RHP Chris Gau, who was recently sent down from Indianapolis, pitched 2.1 perfect innings, striking out four.
GREENSBORO won 4-3 against Winston-Salem, scoring all of their runs in the third inning.
- RHP J.P. Massey made the start, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in five innings. He struck out two.
- LHP Dominic Perachi threw three innings, allowing an unearned run on one walk and one hit. He struck out two.
- 3B Charles McAdoo went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.
- 2B Mitch Jebb went 2-for-4 with two strikeouts.
- RF Rodolfo Nolasco went 1-for-4 with a two RBI double.
BRADENTON lost 4-3 to Lakeland.
- LHP Michael Kennedy allowed two runs in 3.1 innings, giving up six hits and one walk. The 2022 over-slot fourth rounder struck out six.
- LHP Magdiel Cotto, last year’s 11th round pick, threw two no-hit innings. He allowed three walks, but escaped any damage thanks to two strikeouts.
- 2B Jesus Castillo went 1-for-4 with a walk. He stole two bases, giving him six this year, after stealing 39 last year.
- 1B Juan Jerez went 2-for-4 with a double, getting the hardest hit ball of the night for Bradenton at 112.1 MPH.
- DH Jack Herman went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
STATCAST HEROES
Quinn Priester had all of his pitches working for strikes tonight. He had three whiffs on the sinker, seven on the slider, three on the curve, and two each on the changeup and four-seam. The sinker was the only pitch with less than a 50% whiff rate. He picked up 16 called strikes, with at least one on every pitch. He had a 41% called and swinging strike rate, with no individual pitch below 32%. STATS
Grant Koch had two hard hit shots. His home run in the seventh had a 95 MPH exit velocity. He hit a double in the fifth inning at 107.2 MPH for Indy’s hardest hit of the game. STATS
Michael Kennedy was getting results from his slider, working mostly with a four-seam/slider combo. The slider had four whiffs on ten swings, while adding eight called strikes for a 48% called and swinging rate. His fastball had some movement and late break like a sinker. He had five whiffs on 21 swings, along with seven called strikes. The pitch averaged 89.4, topping out at 92.2 tonight. It had separation from the slider, which averaged 80.4 MPH. STATS
TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE
- LHP Michael Plassmeyer takes the mound for Indianapolis at 2:05 PM EST.
- Altoona throws LHP Anthony Solometo for his second start of the year at 1:00 PM.
- Greensboro will see RHP Wilber Dotel follow his four shutout innings from last time as he takes the mound at 2:00 PM.
- Last year’s 12th round pick, Khristian Curtis, will start for Bradenton at noon.
