The decision to move former reliever Carlson Reed to the rotation continues to look like a good one. The Pirates drafted Reed in the fourth round last season, after he put up a 2.61 ERA in 38 innings of relief with West Virginia University. After 4.2 shutout innings on Friday night, Reed has a 1.72 ERA in four starts with the Bradenton Marauders.
The Single-A level might be too low for Reed’s experience level pitching in college. It’s probably a more comfortable setting for him to convert back to the rotation and build up innings. It also comes with the added bonus of Statcast data.
Reed allowed three hits, two walks, and struck out five in his 4.2 scoreless innings. He was sitting 93.6 MPH with the sinker, touching 95.6, and hitting 96.3 MPH with the four-seam fastball. He picked up 12 whiffs on the night, with most of them coming off the slider and changeup. Both pitches sit mid-80s. The slider had five whiffs on eight swings, with seven more called strikes for a 55% called and swinging strike rate (CSW%). The changeup had four whiffs on six swings, plus one called strike for a 36% CSW. His sinker had three whiffs, but is more of a contact pitch, getting a 17% CSW. The four-seam was also at 17%.
The concern for Reed has been his ability to control three pitches that grade average or better — with at least two above-average offerings. His ability to throw the slider for strikes, while also getting swing and miss from the pitch, will help him stay ahead of pro hitters. I wrote about Reed this past week in the latest premium article drop.
Reed’s performance led a 1-0 shutout in Bradenton on Friday.
PIRATES PROSPECT WATCH
INDIANAPOLIS was postponed due to wet grounds.
ALTOONA lost 6-2
- RHP Braxton Ashcraft allowed four runs on six hits in five innings of work. He walked one and struck out five. In his first full season returning from Tommy John, this was the first time Ashcraft went five innings since May 20, 2021 when he was with Greensboro.
- C Abrahan Gutierrez went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- SS Tsung-Che Cheng went 1-for-3 with a walk.
- RF Jase Bowen went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
- CF Tres Gonzales went 1-for-4.
GREENSBORO won 4-2.
- RHP J.P. Massey allowed two runs on seven hits in five innings of work. He struck out seven batters and walked one.
- LHP Luis Peralta pitched 2.1 perfect innings, striking out five of the seven batters he faced. Peralta has now pitched 8.2 shutout innings with 20 strikeouts.
- CF Sammy Siani went 1-for-2 with two walks and an RBI.
- 2B Mitch Jebb went 1-for-5 with two RBI and a stolen base.
- SS Termarr Johnson went 1-for-3 with two walks.
BRADENTON won 1-0 after 4.2 shutout from Carlson Reed.
- CF P.J. Hilson went 2-for-3 with a two out homer in the eighth. He also doubled.
- C Garret Forrester had the only other hit for the game for Bradenton, also drawing a walk.
- RHP Tyler Kennedy pitched a shutout inning, allowing two walks and striking out two.
- LHP Yoldin De La Paz pitched two perfect innings with a strikeout.
- RHP Landon Tomkins pitched a shutout inning, allowing one hit and striking out one.
STATCAST HEROES
P.J. Hilson had the two furthest hit balls of the game, with a 102.5 MPH double that went 330, and a 101.8 MPH home run that went 405. STATS
TOMORROW’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:05 PM – LHP Eric Lauer (2-0, 2.37)
- Double-A: Altoona, 4:00 PM – RHP Po-Yu Chen (0-1, 9.90)
- High-A: Greensboro, 7:05 PM – RHP Wilber Dotel (1-0, 0.00)
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:30 PM – LHP Michael Kennedy (0-1, 4.50)
