Jared Jones continues to be the bright spot and the hope during this 2024 Pittsburgh Pirates season. On Saturday, Jones pitched seven shutout innings,...
Braxton Ashcraft had his best start of the season on Wednesday for Altoona. The right-hander pitched five shutout innings, allowing two hits, two walks,...
Right-handed pitcher Thomas Harrington made his return to the mound on Tuesday night for Bradenton. Harrington, who is rehabbing from a shoulder issue in...
The Pirates have Gold Glove third basemen in Ke'Bryan Hayes and Jared Triolo. They've got another candidate in the system in power hitter Jack Brannigan.
Valentin Linarez had one of the biggest recorded velocity jumps in minor league baseball last year.
Baseball America tracked the year-over-year four-seam velocity gainers from...
At the start of the 2023 international signing period, the Pittsburgh Pirates added David Matoma as their first signing out of Uganda. The right-handed...
The Dominican League has finished regular season play. The four top teams -- Estrellas de Oriente, Leones del Escogido, Toros del Este, and Gigantes del Cibao -- will begin a round robin playoff tournament on Sunday. Los Estrellas, Los Leones, and Los Toros all finished the regular season with identical 27-22 records, in a 3-way tie for first place. In the Dominican League, the four top teams are allowed to "draft" players from the other two teams to help them out during the playoffs. Los Estrellas drafted C Ronny Paulino from Los Tigres del Licey. Los Leones drafted Indy area native 1B/OF Jake Fox from Los Tigres. Los Gigantes drafted OF Kevin Melillo from Los Aguilas Cibaenas.
The Venezuelan and Puerto Rican Leagues have both Friday and Saturday off, and resume play on Sunday. The Mexican Pacific League has Friday off, but has a full slate of games scheduled for Christmas evening.
And, a few other minor league contracts signed by former Pirate farmhands: C Michel Hernandez re-signed with the Orioles, INF Ray Chang signed with the Twins, and P Derek Hankins signed with the Rangers.
OK, on to Thursday night's action for the Pirates' players and friends:
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Gigantes del Carolina 5, Indios de Mayaguez 4 -- Los Gigantes scored 2 runs in the 1st and 4th innings, and a single run in the 3rd, then held off late-inning pushes by Los Indios to get the win. 2B Benji Gonzalez signled in the 2nd inning, but was picked off first base.
Criollos de Caguas 6, Senadores de San Juan 3 -- Two walks, a single, a sacrifice fly, and a 2-run triple gave San Juan a 3-run lead in the bottom of the 1st inning, but that was all the scoring they would do. Los Criollos started their come-back in the 3rd inning, with a walk, a single, and a 2-RBI double by 3B Ramon Vazquez. A hit batter and a double plated a single run in the 4th, then two errors and an RBI single by Vazquez brought in another run in the 5th. A 2-run homer added their final runs in the 8th.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired Oakland Athletics prospect Corey Wimberly, according to Wimberly himself on Twitter. The Pirates sent Ryan Kelly to the Athletics,...
The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed Garrett Atkins to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring Training. Atkins played for Colorado for seven...
The Pittsburgh Pirates have claimed left handed pitcher Aaron Thompson off of waivers from the Washington Nationals, according to the team's official Twitter feed....
The Pittsburgh Pirates announced their 2011 minor league coaching assignments today. The changes and some notes below:
AAA - Indianapolis Indians
Manager - Dean Treanor
Treanor was...
RHP Joe Martinez, who came to the Pirates from the Giants (with John Bowker) in July, was removed from the Pirates' 40-man roster and designated for assignment. That frees up a roster spot for newly signed starter Kevin Correia. Martinez joined the Indy Indians after coming to the Pirate organization, and made 4 starts and 3 relief appearances for the Indians. In 28 innings, he earned a 1-2 record and a 5.72 ERA. Then he pitched 8.2 innings over 5 games for the Pirates, for a 3.12 ERA.
Spring Training invitations for the big league camp were extended to pitchers Rudy Owens and Justin Wilson, both of whom pitched in Altoona in 2010. Tyler Yates, working his way back from elbow surgery, was signed to a minor league contract and also invited to major league spring training. Infielder Jeff Clement was also invited to big league camp.
The Pirates have announced the new managers for their minor league teams: Dean Treanor, who was the pitching coach in Indianapolis in 2010, will now be managing the Indians. Frank Kremblas, who has managed in Indianapolis for two years, will move into the role of minor league field/instructional coordinator. PJ Forbes, who managed the Bradenton Marauders in 2010, will manage the Altoona Curve in 2011. Carlos Garcia will move from coaching first base for the Pirates to managing the Marauders. Gary Robinson is moving up from managing the State College Spikes to managing the West Virginia Power, and Dave Turgeon, former coach at Virginia Tech, will become the manager at State College.
And, some winter league action for some Pirates' players and friends:
PUERTO RICAN LEAGUE Gigantes de Carolina 4, Indios de Mayaguez 2 -- For the second night in a row, Benji Gonzalez came into the game as a pinch-hitter for Los Gigantes, then remained in the game on defense. Gonzalez flied out in the top of the 6th, then played second base for one inning, and shortstop for 3 innings. He also grounded out in the 9th. Los Gigantes scored one run in the 2nd, 2 in the 4th, and one more in the 5th, while a triple and a double contributed to Los Indios' 2 runs in the 7th.
Criollos de Caguas 7, Senadores de San Juan 2 -- Former Indy Indian SS Luis Figueroa had another big night, going 4-for-5 with 3 doubles, a homer, and 4 RBI. Figueroa flied out in the bottom of the 1st, and that was the only time he was retired. His ground-rule double drive in Los Criollos' first run in the 3rd. He doubled again (the conventional way) in the 4th, driving in 2 of that inning's 3 runs. Then he homered to lead off the bottom of the 6th. He also doubled in the 8th, but was left on base. Los Criollos scored 2 runs in the 5th, without Figueroa's help: three walks, including one by 3B Ramon Vazquez, loaded the bases, then a double brought in two runs. Vazquez also walked in the 2nd inning, but did not score.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have designated right handed pitcher Joe Martinez for assignment, clearing space for Kevin Correia to be added to the 40-man roster....
