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CONNOR MacDONALD, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
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| Born: February 27, 1996 Height: 6’5″ Weight: 200 Bats: Right Throws: Right Signed: Int’l Free Agent, 2014, Astros How Acquired: International Free Agent Country: Australia Agent: N/A |
WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES |
| Houston signed MacDonald out of Australia as a first baseman. He’s a big guy who showed some power, but he had significant problems making contact. The Astros released MacDonald after four years, but he hit well in Australian baseball afterward while playing for Pirates’ scout Tony Harris. The Pirates signed him to a minor league contract prior to the 2018 season, but they signed him as a pitcher. He apparently throws hard, but has almost no experience on the mound.
2014 MacDonald played very briefly in the Australian Baseball League in 2012 and 2013, then the Astros sent him to the DSL in 2014. He hit very well there and, at age 18, wasn’t a bad age for the league. 2015 MacDonald moved up to the Gulf Coast League and struggled to make contact, striking out in over 40% of his ABs. 2016 The Astros tried MacDonald in advanced rookie ball and he made progress, with fairly good power but still and extremely high K rate. 2017 MacDonald moved up to the New York-Penn League and struggled, striking out in nearly half of his ABs. He did show a little power, but the Astros released him halfway through the season. MacDonald will probably start off at one of the short season teams. |
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CONTRACT INFORMATION
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| 2018: Minor League Contract |
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PLAYER INFORMATION
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| Signing Bonus: N/A MiLB Debut: 2014 MLB Debut: N/A MiLB FA Eligible: 2020 MLB FA Eligible: N/A Rule 5 Eligible: 2018 Added to 40-Man: N/A Options Remaining: 3 MLB Service Time: 0.000 |
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TRANSACTIONS
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| July 23, 2012: Signed by the Houston Astros as an international free agent. July 28, 2017: Released by the Houston Astros. January 16, 2018: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a minor league free agent. |
