Minor league baseball has been on a break this week, with only the rookie ball teams playing. Full-season teams return tomorrow, and as such, the daily Pirates Prospect Watch will return to recap all of the action.
Today, I wanted to look back at the first half of the season, detailing the best hitter and pitcher at each level of the system, along with some honorable mentions and highlighting some promotion candidates for the second half.
INDIANAPOLIS
HITTER: Ji Hwan Bae – .359/.438/.497, 4 HR, 10 SB, 196 PA
The best hitter in the first half was Nick Gonzales, but I didn’t include players who are fully entrenched into the Major League scene. Gonzales hit so well in the first month-plus, and continued his progression into Pittsburgh, that he’s got a lock on the second base job.
Ji Hwan Bae has been the best hitter in Indianapolis. Bae is hitting for a .359 average, getting on base at a .438 rate, and hitting for some power, mostly in the form of extra bases. He’s stolen ten bases, and all of this is across 196 plate appearances, giving a good sample size.
The problem is that Bae has yet to show he can carry this level of production to the majors. Unlike Gonzales, Bae turns into a pumpkin when he’s promoted, rather than riding the grand chariot of these stats into Major League success.
Honorable mentions in Triple-A are Matt Gorski and Henry Davis. Gorski isn’t hitting for average, and is getting on base at a .292 rate, but he’s hitting for power, with 15 homers. Davis is similar to Bae, in that he has crushed Triple-A pitching, but can’t carry the success over to the majors.
PITCHER: Quinn Priester – 3.21 ERA, 36:7 K/BB, 33.2 IP
The obvious standout of Indianapolis was Paul Skenes, who posted an 0.99 ERA in his time in the minors. Like Gonzales on the hitting side, Skenes carried his success over to the majors, and won’t be looking back.
Hopefully the same will be true for Quinn Priester. The 2019 first rounder has a 3.21 ERA in 33.2 innings in Triple-A, with a 36:7 K/BB. He’s currently in the Major League rotation, though he hasn’t been consistent in past callups. Hopefully that changes this time around. He’s allowed three runs in eight innings over his last two MLB appearances, while striking out eight and walking two.
Priester could remain in the rotation after the All-Star Break, even with injured pitchers ahead of him expected to return. All he needs to do is replicate the success he’s shown in Triple-A, which is no easy task.
The Triple-A staff hasn’t been a strong one this year. Jake Woodford has been one of the best pitchers, but he was added as depth in early June to address the lack of pitching. Minor league lefty Nick Dombkowski has also stepped into a spot start/swingman role to help with the lack of innings from the lack of quality depth. Beyond those two, Ben Heller has shown elite stuff out of the bullpen, but didn’t do well in his callup to the majors, to say the least.
ALTOONA
HITTER: Charles McAdoo – .279/.380/.544, 4 HR, 2 SB, 79 PA
The hitting in Altoona has struggled this year. Charles McAdoo joined the team last month, and already has emerged as the best hitter at the level, albeit in a small sample size. This follows his impressive season in Greensboro, where he hit .336/.415/.561 with nine homers and 14 stolen bases in 258 plate appearances.
McAdoo has been the best hitter in the entire system this year. The fact that he’s carried his offensive success to a higher level, maintaining an elite on-base ability with power, is impressive. Even more impressive is that he’s doing all of this while learning third base, and showing impressive abilities at the position. It’s only mid-season, but McAdoo is running away with player of the year honors on the position player side.
Seth Beer is a 27-year-old veteran with MLB experience who has since been promoted to Indianapolis. He had some of the best numbers in Altoona over a longer period, but his veteran status excluded him from my list. I really like Carter Bins as a hitting sleeper. He’s only batting .221 with a .776 OPS, but he’s tasked with catching an elite pitching staff, and still brings on-base and power in his plate appearances.
PITCHER: Bubba Chandler – 3.53 ERA, 77:22 K/BB, 63.2 IP
Speaking of that elite pitching staff, Bubba Chandler has been the cream of the crop. The 2021 third rounder has stepped up this year as the top prospect in the system, following the graduations of Paul Skenes and Jared Jones. Chandler has a 3.53 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 63.2 innings, while displaying elite stuff. He’s got a fastball that sits 97-98, paired with a sharp slider that drops out of the bottom of the zone, and a changeup he’s been developing this year.
Chandler hit a snag in May, but since returning on May 29th, he’s allowed a 2.08 ERA in 39 innings, with a 47:4 K/BB ratio. That was capped off with a scoreless inning to close out the MLB Future’s Game. He’s looking deserving of a promotion to Indianapolis in the final two months of the season.
An honorable mention who already received a promotion to Indianapolis was Braxton Ashcraft. In 11 outings with Altoona, Ashcraft had a 3.69 ERA in 53.2 innings, along with a 63:8 K/BB. He’s currently on the injured list in Triple-A, but not before allowing one run in his first 18.1 innings. Thomas Harrington has also emerged as a top pitching prospect this year, with a 2.54 ERA in 56.2 innings, with a 59:8 K/BB. He started his season late, due to a shoulder injury in Spring Training, but is looking like a guy who should share a travel itinerary with Chandler to join Ashcraft in Indy.
The honorable mention to the honorable mentions has been Po-Yu Chen. The right-hander has a 3.90 ERA in 90 innings, with a 63:30 K/BB. Since May 26th, he has a 2.47 ERA in 54.2 innings, with a 46:17 K/BB. I wonder if there’s room for another passenger on the ride to Triple-A?
GREENSBORO
HITTER: Nick Cimillo – .293/.419/.619, 17 HR, 223 PA
It’s no surprise that the system leader in home runs would come from Greensboro, with the power-friendly home park. What Nick Cimillo is doing has been a surprise. Drafted in the 16th round in 2022, Cimillo has stepped up his game this year, hitting 17 homers with the second best OPS on the US side of the system to Nick Gonzales.
What’s more encouraging is his home/road splits show no difference. Cimillo is batting .297/.425/.593 with seven of his homers in the hitting haven at home. He’s batting .289/.413/.644 with 10 homers on the road. In his age 24 season, Cimillo should get a push to Altoona in the second half, which will give a better idea of his overall hitting abilities.
Shawn Ross ties Cimillo in home runs with 17. An undrafted free agent following the 2022 season, Ross has displayed elite power in A-ball, currently in his age 24 season. He hasn’t shown good contact, with a .182 average, but he does get on base at a .349 rate, which combines with the power for an .835 OPS. Jack Brannigan is looking like another three-outcomes guy, with a .224/.343/.457 line, 15 homers, and 11 stolen bases. He does this while playing defense on the left side of the infield.
Finally, there’s 2022 fourth overall pick Termarr Johnson, whose .244/.394/.394 line on the season doesn’t tell the full story. Johnson has been hitting since mid-May, and has a .294/.408/.500 line with eight of his nine homers since May 18th. He joined Chandler in the MLB Future’s Game, and picked up a first-pitch single off Noah Schultz, who is one of the best pitching prospects in the game. More and more, Johnson is showing why he went fourth overall.
PITCHER: Patrick Reilly – 3.30 ERA, 97:39 K/BB, 79 IP
The leader of the minor league system in strikeouts is a pitcher drafted in 2023, but it’s not Paul Skenes. To be fair, Skenes leads the organization with his MLB time included. In the minors, 2023 fifth rounder Patrick Reilly stands out with 97 strikeouts in 79 innings. He also has a 3.30 ERA and some of the most electric stuff in the lower levels.
Reilly throws a mid-90s fastball, along with two sliders, and changes speeds on hitters very quickly. He’s dealt with control problems, but has done a better job this year of reducing the walks. He’s also nearly impossible to hit at this level, with a .192 average against.
Hunter Barco has also been a standout in Greensboro this year. The 2022 second rounder is pitching in his first full season after returning from Tommy John. He has a 3.34 ERA in 62 innings, with a 77:22 K/BB. He’s also worked to improve his secondary offerings this year, and has increased his velocity from the left side to the mid-90s. Dominic Perachi has also been a boost to the Greensboro rotation, stepping up with a 2.06 ERA in 56.2 innings, with a 58:19 K/BB. He was promoted to Altoona early in the season for depth, and has pitched well since returning to Greensboro.
If there’s a bus driving Chandler, Harrington, and Chen to Indianapolis in the second half, then there needs to be another bus sending Reilly, Barco, and Perachi to Altoona to fill their spots.
BRADENTON
HITTER: Omar Alfonzo – .263/.372/.396, 7 HR, 301 PA
Prior to the season, I was told that Omar Alfonzo was a guy who was standing out. He’s stood out to me ever since, for the simple reason that no hitter in Bradenton makes more consistent hard contact than him. Every game it seems like he has at least one batted ball in triple digits. That hasn’t led to numbers yet, but he’s showing the potential to be an advanced hitter with power and on-base ability.
Alfonzo can also catch behind the plate, driving his value further. His catching alone could get him to the upper levels, with a shot at the majors. Add the hitting to that, and he’s a guy to watch as one of the best catching prospects in the system.
Esmerlyn Valdez has been similar to Alfonzo in the sense that he hits the ball hard every game. Valdez is hitting .239/.359/.466 with 12 homers in 281 plate appearances. He’s got a higher strikeout rate, showing a three-outcomes approach, but the power is impressive. The Pirates added Keiner Delgado in the JT Brubaker trade this year, and sent the infielder to Single-A. He’s batting .229/.302/.381 with seven homers and 14 steals. Bradenton’s offense hasn’t been a strong group, and the standouts have largely been due to one tool emerging. In Delgado’s case, he’s shown power and speed from the middle infield.
PITCHER: Carlson Reed – 2.75 ERA, 83:39 K/BB, 68.2 IP
The pitching in this system has been impressive at every level. The 2023 draft gave the system a boost, and fourth rounder Carlson Reed has been a big part of that. He’s making the move to the rotation full-time this year, and has a 2.75 ERA in 68.2 innings, with the second highest strikeout total in the Pirates’ minor league system.
Reed has consistently gotten up to 5+ innings per start since the beginning of June. He’s maintained his numbers, while also improving his walk rate, which was one of the big things holding him back.
Antwone Kelly has been a breakout at this level. The 20-year-old from Aruba has a 3.75 ERA in 60 innings, with a 59:25 K/BB. A lot of that is fueled by his run since the start of May. Across his last eight starts, he has a 2.15 ERA in 46 innings, with a 48:17 K/BB.
Two pitchers who stand out for their stuff, and flashes of success, are Khristian Curtis and Carlos Jimenez. Curtis has a six-pitch mix, led by a fastball that gets up to 97. He’s got a 4.33 ERA in 54 innings, with 60 strikeouts and 28 walks. This is his first season, after being drafted in the 12th round last year, and he hadn’t pitched much prior to that. Jimenez has a 4.20 ERA in 45 innings, with an alarming walk rate of 9.8 BB/9. That’s actually improved recently. He has one of the best changeups in the system, and a fastball that gets up to 97, but that control holds him back.
FCL PIRATES
HITTER: Yordany De Los Santos – .349/.415/.529, 5 HR, 19 SB, 194 PA
Yordany De Los Santos has been a great story this year, with one of the best overall offensive stat lines in the system. He was sent to Single-A Bradenton last year, and struggled with the aggressive push. He hit well in rookie ball, and was sent back to the FCL for his age 19 season.
De Los Santos is putting up even better numbers this season, consistently hitting each week, while also adding a bit of power and stealing 19 bases. He’s looking like he could use another shot in A-ball, but he doesn’t need that to legitimize his improvements. He’s putting the ball in the air more often, getting on base more often, hitting for more power, stealing more bases, and making better contact than last year. This is impressive improvement from a guy who won’t turn 20 until next year.
Jhonny Severino has been the other consistent hitter in rookie ball. Acquired one year ago for Carlos Santana, Severino has a .280/.365/.554 line with ten homers and 12 stolen bases. The power and speed combo is outstanding for this level. I also want to highlight the breakout from 19-year-old catcher Richard Ramirez. He’s batting .288/.377/.482 with five homers in 159 plate appearances, continuing the step forward at the plate that he took in 2023 in the DSL.
PITCHER: Zander Mueth – 1.69 ERA, 46:21 K/BB, 42.2 IP
That 2023 draft has boosted the pitching in the Pirates system from the majors all the way down to rookie ball. Zander Mueth was drafted 67th overall, and has been lights out in rookie ball for his debut this year. He’s currently on a run where he’s made five starts in a row with one or fewer runs allowed.
Mueth throws from a lower arm slot with a fastball that can get up to 97, and some promising secondary stuff. He could get a push to Bradenton by the end of the season, after the FCL season concludes. Right now, he’s reached a point where rookie ball doesn’t seem to be a challenge for him at age 19.
Carlos Castillo is an 18-year-old from Venezuela who made the jump to the US in his second pro season. Castillo has a 2.84 ERA in 31.2 innings, with a 24:16 K/BB. David Matoma has been the most electric arm at this level, pitching 19.1 innings in relief with an 0.93 ERA. Matoma is 18, out of Uganda, and has a 24:7 K/BB ratio during his time, flashing elite velocity at a young age.
DSL PIRATES
HITTER: Isaias Dipre – .346/.485/.615, 4 HR, 103 PA
I have reservations about picking an older player for this, but Isaias Dipre has the best OPS in the entire organization, and he’s never performed like this in the past. Dipre was signed by the Pirates in 2019, but didn’t make his debut until 2021. He struggled to crack an .800 OPS his first two seasons, and missed all of 2023 with an injury. This year, Dipre has returned to be a consistent hitter in the Dominican, with an 1.100 OPS.
The best first-year player has been first baseman Edward Florentino. The 17-year-old signed in January, and has a .293 average with a 1.048 OPS and five homers in his pro debut. Florentino and Dipre both play bat-first positions, which tempers any projection of their hitting to higher levels. It’s still good to see them both hitting.
PITCHER: Jonawel Valdez – 3.00 ERA, 20:3 K/BB, 12 IP
I probably should follow my rule from Triple-A and disqualify anyone who has been promoted for good. After three starts, the Pirates promoted Jonawel Valdez to the FCL in his second pro season. He doesn’t look to be returning, with a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings at the higher level. Valdez shut down opponents early in the season, striking out 20 and only walking three in 12 innings.
Two third-year pitchers have stood out. Brandison Polanco has an 0.54 ERA in 16.2 innings, showing massive improvements over his 6.75 ERA last year. He also has a 23:5 K/BB, with improvements in each stat. Adolfo Oviedo is repeating his ERA success from last year, with a 2.05 mark. He’s improved his walk rate, cutting down from 27 walks in 34.2 innings last year to just 7 in 26.1 innings this year.
