The Altoona Curve finished the 2024 season with a 62-76 record, ranking last in the Eastern League Southwest in the first half, and finishing 33-36 in the second half.
Altoona was one of the worst performing teams in the system, with very few prospects progressing. They did have the top prospect in the system at the beginning of the year, as part of a trio of elite pitching prospects. Beyond those three, it was not a good season.
The Curve offense ranked next to last in the league in OPS, and had the third most strikeouts. The pitching staff had the fourth highest ERA and the worst strikeout rate in the league.
The trio of pitchers moved up, but the rest of the 2024 Altoona roster is likely to return in 2025 to continue their development in the upper levels.
Below are the hitter and pitcher of the year, the top 10 prospects at the level, notable performers, and the early 2025 outlook.
Altoona Curve 2024 Top Performers
For the 2024 Altoona Curve hitter and pitcher of the year, preference was given to performance over prospect status.
Hitter of the Year: Yoyner Fajardo, OF – .300/.406/.373, 0 HR, 17 SB
The Pirates added Fajardo in June to boost the offense at the Double-A level. The outfielder was originally signed to the Pirates’ system, before being lost in the minor league Rule 5 draft. After returning to the system this year, he became the most consistent hitter at the Double-A level. Fajardo frequently hit at the top of the lineup, reaching base and taking extra bases with 17 steals in 22 attempts. His lack of power will likely keep him from a Major League career, but Fajardo gave the Altoona offense a boost for over three months.
Pitcher of the Year: Thomas Harrington, RHP – 2.24 ERA, 74:10 K/BB, 68.1 IP
Harrington started the year on the injured list with a shoulder injury. Upon returning, it didn’t take him long to look like a shutdown option for the Double-A level. He had a 2.24 ERA in 68.1 innings with Altoona, putting up 74 strikeouts and only walking ten. His mix of pitches and ability to work quickly and change pace led to a promotion to Triple-A after nearly three months. In that time, Harrington made two starts of seven innings, had two starts with double-digit strikeouts, and finished his time in Altoona with an 0.70 ERA in 25.2 innings in July.
Altoona Curve Top 10 Prospects
Below are the top ten prospects of the players who spent significant playing time at the Double-A level this year.
- Bubba Chandler, RHP – Chandler had a 5.84 ERA and 18 walks in 24.2 innings after his start on May 17th. He was dealing with some forearm pain from a former injury. The Pirates gave him some time off to get back on track. He returned on May 29th, and put up a 2.75 ERA in 55.2 innings in his remaining time with Altoona. Chandler saw improvements to his control, walking just eight batters, while recording 64 strikeouts. His final start saw him allow one run in seven innings, with no walks and seven strikeouts. Chandler resumed his success at the Triple-A level for seven starts to finish the season.
- Thomas Harrington, RHP – The pitcher of the year didn’t have much of a challenge at the Double-A level. It only took Harrington three starts before he settled in as a routine five inning, two or fewer runs allowed starter. He doesn’t have the plus stuff that Chandler has, which will lead to separation in the results as they continue to move up. Harrington does have plus control and command of his pitches, with several above-average offerings.
- Braxton Ashcraft, RHP – Returning to the Double-A level in his first full year back from Tommy John, Ashcraft looked great out of the rotation. He made 10 starts, with a 3.69 ERA in 53.2 innings pitched. Ashcraft struck out 63 and walked eight. He was the first pitcher of the big three promoted to Indianapolis, though his time in Triple-A was cut short with a forearm injury.
- Anthony Solometo, LHP – From this point forward on the list, the prospects are paired with below-average results. Solometo came into the season as one of the top ten prospects in the system, ranking inside the top five in many rankings. His 5.98 ERA and 35 walks in 58.2 innings tanked that ranking. He’s still very young for this level, and will likely repeat it next year. He was shut down for about two months to work in the lowest levels, but still had control issues when he returned in August.
- Tsung-Che Cheng, SS – One of the best pure hit tools in the system, Cheng batted .218/.320/.341 for a below league average .661 OPS. He had 11 homers and 19 doubles, showing more power this year than in the past. Cheng also got on base more often than he did in his time with Altoona in the second half last year. He stole 16 bases on the season. The Pirates moved him up to Indianapolis for the final week of their season. It will be interesting to see if Cheng gets the push to Triple-A next year, or returns to Altoona for more work against Double-A pitching.
- Jase Bowen, OF – Bowen hit ten homers and stole 22 bases this year, despite having a below league average .664 OPS. His offensive output was streaky. Six of his home runs came in August and September. Ten of his stolen bases came in that time. He only had two months with an OPS above .700. Bowen plays good defense in the outfield, and has power/speed potential at the plate. He should return to Altoona next year to try and hit more consistently.
- Po-Yu Chen, RHP – Working out of the rotation all year, Chen led Altoona in innings by a long shot, with his 134 innings being 54 more than the next pitcher. He doesn’t have an elite fastball, instead getting by with high spin and high movement secondary stuff. Chen had a 4.03 ERA and a 96:43 K/BB, largely fueled by elite months in June and July. He should return to the Altoona rotation in 2025.
- Sammy Siani, OF – After starting the season with Greensboro and putting up a .965 OPS, Siani was promoted to Altoona. He put up a league average .693 OPS in his time at the Double-A level, with five homers and 14 stolen bases. Siani seemed to be improving as the season was winding down, with an .812 OPS in August. He didn’t do as well in his final ten games in September, but maintained a .275 average. Siani should return to Altoona in 2025.
- Emmanuel Chapman, RHP – The Pirates signed Chapman out of Cuba last offseason. Making his pro debut at the age of 25, Chapman was moved up to Altoona mid-season. He put up a 3.57 ERA in 63 innings to finish the year, with a 57:26 K/BB. Chapman worked in long relief, but eventually made seven starts as one of the best pitchers at the level by the end of the season. He’s an interesting prospect, whose age is ignored for the lack of experience and the impressive results with the limited experience he received this year.
- Kervin Pichardo, SS – The Pirates acquired Pichardo at the start of the season in a trade with the Padres for Jackson Wolf. The infielder had a .679 OPS with Altoona, hitting 11 homers. He showed improvements as the season went on, but was largely inconsistent. His best run came in June and July, when he had a .751 and .767 OPS. Pichardo can play the middle infield, and is young enough to spend another year at the Double-A level working on his bat.
Notable Performances
The Double-A level is a big test for top performers from A-ball. The Pirates promoted two such performers to Altoona this year.
Nick Cimillo hit for a 1.038 OPS in High-A, with 17 home runs. He didn’t do as well with Altoona, but managed a league average .690 OPS, while hitting nine doubles and four home runs. The 24-year-old has the power potential to reach the majors, but contact concerns that started to get exposed in Altoona. He did finish with an .838 OPS in September, and should return to the level in 2025 to grow on that result.
Eddy Yean spent the last two years making the move to relief in Greensboro, before moving up to Altoona this year. He put up a 3.45 ERA in 73 innings, with a 65:21 K/BB. Those numbers are better than either year from Yean in High-A, with massive improvements to his control. The Pirates promoted Yean to Triple-A for a brief look at the end of the season.
Cimillo was a top performer who hit a wall in Double-A, while Yean was a 5+ ERA reliever who improved to an actual prospect in his jump to the level.
Hunter Barco was promoted to Altoona after a 3.34 ERA in 62 innings with Greensboro. He only pitched in one game with Altoona before going down with an injury. Barco would be number four on the top prospect list above with more innings.
If he wasn’t traded at the deadline, Charles McAdoo would likely be high on the top prospect list. He crushed the High-A level, then hit .269/.347/.490 with Altoona, before being traded for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Early 2025 Outlook
The Altoona Curve got an early look at their 2025 roster with the late-season promotion of Termarr Johnson. The 2022 fourth overall pick hit .229/.316/.396 with two homers in 48 at-bats across 14 games to finish the season at the Double-A level.
The rotation should see the return of Solometo, and the likely promotion of some of the best pitchers in A-ball this year, led by Carlson Reed and a healthy Hunter Barco. The offense could receive a boost from Mitch Jebb and Jack Brannigan, though both hitters will be tested at the higher level.
Just like the 2024 team, the 2025 Altoona group looks to be good on the pitching side, but questionable on the position player side. Still, you’ll want to tune in every night to see what Termarr Johnson did at the plate.
