This past week in the Pittsburgh Pirates system saw the promotion of top prospect Bubba Chandler to Indianapolis, with the best start in the system during his debut. It also saw Nick Yorke extend his Triple-A hitting streak to 15 games.
If you’re down about the current eight-game losing streak from the Pirates, those two at least provide some hope of talent in Triple-A who could improve the team in the not-too-distant future.
Below are the top hitter and pitcher at each level of the minor league system from the last week.
INDIANAPOLIS
TOP HITTER: Nick Yorke – .400/.455/.450, 22 PA
Since being acquired at the deadline for Quinn Priester, Yorke has a hit in every game with Indianapolis. He enters this week’s action with a 15-game hitting streak, dating back to his time in Boston. He had one double this past week, but has four during the month of August. The Pirates have also been working Yorke in center field, which is a position he’s never played before.
TOP PITCHER: Bubba Chandler – 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K
Chandler made his Triple-A debut last week, throwing seven shutout innings. His stuff was elite, sitting 97.2 MPH with his fastball, and generating a 48% whiff rate. He threw his slider for 14 called strikes, and had a 29% whiff rate on his changeup, which is a pitch he’s been working on this year. Chandler is the top prospect in the system, due in large part to making a lot of positive development with his secondary pitches over the last two seasons.
ALTOONA
TOP HITTER: Kervin Pichardo – .350/.458/.700, 2 HR, 2 SB, 24 PA
The Pirates acquired Pichardo in a minor trade earlier this year for LHP Jackson Wolf. The 22-year-old infielder is off to a hot start in the month of August, batting .313/.405/.594. That was fueled by this last week, when he went 7-for-20 with two home runs. He’s batting .269/.326/.396 this season, but has gotten progressively better throughout the year.
TOP PITCHER: Emmanuel Chapman – 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K
Chapman was signed by the Pirates out of Cuba this past offseason. The 25-year-old right-hander put up a 3.00 ERA in 18 innings with Greensboro, striking out 23 and walking six. He’s carried his success to Double-A, with a 3.43 ERA in 39.1 innings, along with a 39:17 K/BB. Chapman has made a few starts lately, filling in for an Altoona rotation that has seen some promotions to Indianapolis. He threw three shutout innings in a start this week, along with a scoreless inning in relief.
GREENSBORO
TOP HITTER: Mitch Jebb – .421/.450/.474, 3 SB, 20 PA
Jebb was taken in the second round last year out of the college ranks. Drafted for his hustle, ability to get on base, and plus speed, he’s starting to show that profile in Greensboro. He’s batting .313/.419/.443 since the start of July, with 17 stolen bases in 20 attempts. The Pirates have also been working him in center field, in addition to his middle infield work.
TOP PITCHER: J.P. Massey – 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Massey struggled at the beginning of the season in his return to Greensboro. He went on the development list for a month in June, and returned with a slow buildup starting in mid-July. He got up to four innings in his most recent start, allowing two hits in a shutout effort. He didn’t walk anyone, and struck out three. He has a 3.55 ERA in 12.2 innings since returning, with an 11:6 K/BB.
BRADENTON
TOP HITTER: Jhonny Severino – .364/.417/.682, HR, 2 SB, 24 PA
Acquired in the Carlos Santana trade last summer, Severino has been one of the best hitters in the lower levels. He hit .291/.373/.545 with ten homers and 12 steals in the FCL this year. The 19-year-old was promoted to Bradenton following the end of the rookie ball season. He’s hit .297/.366/.514 with a homer, two triples, and a double at the new level. He’s also reached base safely in every game in August, with hits in seven of eight of those games.
TOP PITCHER: Carlos Jimenez – 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K
Jimenez has one of the best changeups in the system, and used the pitch to throw six shutout innings for Bradenton this week. He had nine whiffs on ten swings against the changeup, leading to five strikeouts. Control held him back early in the year, with over a walk per inning in his first few months of the season. Since the start of July he has a 1.71 ERA in 26.1 innings, with a 27:13 K/BB.
DSL PIRATES
TOP HITTER: Edward Florentino – .444/.615/.556, 2 SB, 13 PA
Florentino has been one of the best hitters from the most recent international signing class. He’s hitting .261/.433/.457 with five homers and eight doubles in 180 plate appearances this year. He also shows good plate patience, with more walks (37) than strikeouts (33). Florentino has spent most of his time at first base, where his power plays, but also has been playing center field. He’s got speed, with seven steals in nine attempts, along with two triples this year.
TOP PITCHER: Irwin Ramirez – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
The top international pitching prospect signed by the Pirates this year, Ramirez allowed one run on one hit with four strikeouts in his most recent start. The 17-year-old has a 4.66 ERA in 29 innings in his pro debut, dealing with control issues that have led to 29 walks and 26 strikeouts. This most recent start was the first time he went five innings, and was one of his best control results of the season, with only two walks.
ROOKIE BALL MONDAY RECAP
The DSL Pirates Black lost 6-2.
Frankeli Mesta went 1-for-3 with a solo homer, his second of the year. Mesta was signed by the Pirates as part of the most recent international signing class, and is hitting .245/.339/.368 in his pro debut. Michell Ojeda went 2-for-3, picking up two of the five hits for the offense. Iverson Allen also picked up a hit.
The DSL Pirates Gold won 14-2.
Cristian Jauregui went 3-for-3 with a triple and his second homer of the year. The homer led off the high scoring game. He was joined by Isaias Dipre, who went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the first, along with two doubles. It was the sixth homer for Dipre. Samuel Escudero hit a three run homer in the second inning, launching his third of the season. RHP Cesar Aquino pitched five innings, allowing two unearned runs on three hits, with no walks and four strikeouts.
TUESDAY’S SCHEDULE
- Triple-A: Indianapolis, 7:05 PM – RHP Luis Cessa (4-4, 4.11)
- Double-A: Altoona, 6:00 PM – TBD
- High-A: Greensboro, 7:35 PM – TBD
- Single-A: Bradenton, 6:30 PM – RHP Zander Mueth (0-0, 3.86)
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Black, 11:00 AM – TBD
- Rookie: DSL Pirates Gold, 11:00 AM – TBD
