Fifth Avenue Forum

The Pirates now have the 4th worst record in the majors

Gonzales is too good for high a, that’s a good sign.

Rodolfo mashing double a as well, looks like his spring breakout was real

Perusing the overall stats after the first week:

Low A Bradenton
All the recent prep hitters that made the jump to full season play are stinking. Jasiah Dixon, Hudson Head, Sammy Siani and Jase Bowen. Dixon is the only one that does not seem completely overmatched. Most of this group likely to flame out.

The international guys are younger and all look better. Endy looks like he might be the best prospect from the Musgrove trade, he'll be 21 this month, so he's a solid age for this level. Mojica and Escotto both had solid weeks are very young for this level. The other aggressive promotions (Dariel Lopez and Campana) look ill advised, and they should likely be moved down. I think with the prep hitters, that's a sink or swim thing, but these guys are younger and demotion seems right.

Nothing really of note with the pitchers except for Santiago Florez, this is his first go at full season play and had a dominant first outing, the fangraphs blurb on him was that he has control issues stemming from longer arm movement. Perhaps that's something being addressed because he only needed 58 pitches to get through four innings in his first start.

High A Greensboro
Nick Gonzalez was already mentioned, basically too good for this level. But also, Liover Peguero (from the Marte trade), doesn't turn 21 until December and looks like a stud. Plays SS, hit 2 HR and stole 3 bases and has 1.127 OPS. Lolo Sanchez with a fast start as well. Jack Herman is the only disappointment on offense, the other guys that stink are expected to stink. His initial GCL season was a fluke.

There are a handful of pitchers to keep an eye on, three prep guys (Priester, Ashcraft and Burrows) and Tahnaj Thomas. They were all very limited in week one, Thomas and Burrows both looked good, Ashcraft as well. Priester got shelled.

Altoona
The two two highest rated prospects stunk (Oneil Cruz and Bae), Bae maybe belongs in Greensboro and Cruz has too many holes in his swing to make it at the highest levels. Rodolfo might strike out too much, but he looks like a potential Pablo Reyes type, where he will definitely make it to the majors. Jonah Davis is a little power ball, but major K issues to I think he flames out. Canaan Smith is interesting, and two system long haulers, Calvin Mitchell and Mason Martin held their own in the jump to double A.

Roansy is the big story on the pitching side, and the team as a whole. Likely to be a top 100 prospect after this season, only 21 and dominated his first AA start. Kranick was decent as well, also a guy that seems like he's been here forever, still only 23, could maybe be a rotation option down the road.

Indy
T-Swags with a great triple A debut, 1.050 OPS, 2:1 walks to Ks and 2 SBs. Chris Sharpe might be a guy that pushes for playing time, just a low-ceiling corner outfielder but could maybe compete. Then there's a laundry list of scrubs that all stink to fill out the position players.

None of the starters are interesting, maybe De Jong a little bit, he had a great start and arguably should have made the team coming out of camp. There is some bullpen depth in Hartleib and Weiman, and another guy they've turned into a reliever that is moving up the system quick in Braeden Ogle. He was a prep arm drafted some years ago that could never stay healthy, but maybe has a future in relief. Still only 23, so I'm keeping tabs on him.

The Pirates now have the 4th worst record in the majors

https://www.fangraphs.com/prospects/the ... 1,1&type=0

The fangraphs chart has the dropoff at pick 7. Looks like there are 4 NCAA guys that stand out and Green. So, at this juncture, only stinking this bad is ok.

Busy day:

05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates designated RHP Michael Feliz for assignment.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates selected the contract of LF Troy Stokes Jr. from Indianapolis Indians.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates placed 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes on the 60-day injured list.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates recalled RHP Geoff Hartlieb from Indianapolis Indians.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates claimed RF Ben Gamel off waivers from Cleveland Indians.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates sent LHP Austin Davis on a rehab assignment to Bradenton Marauders.
05/09/21 Pittsburgh Pirates placed 3B Colin Moran on the 10-day injured list.

60 day IL

that is bad news

Good news for the tank

Good news for the tank

I'm trying to balance my day to day interest in the team with the tank. I'd like to see hayes play, plus, we are wasting valuable service time with him.

If they didn't shoot themselves in the foot repeatedly over the past 9 games, this team honestly could be flirting with first place. But they lost those games.

But I recognize we must all keep our eyes on the prize, which is a high 2022 draft pick

It is no fun seeing Young Hayes, I am with you on that. He seems to be a genuinely exciting player

Hayes hasn't had a setback, just a procedural move to get a roster spot open for either Stokes Jr. or the waiver wire jabroni outfielder they picked up.

Hayes is on schedule to come back in early June.

They should also start thinking about moving some short term assets, which just means trying to get prospects for Rodriguez, Frazier and Anderson.

I really wish this random opportunities were given to Will Craig and/or Cole Tucker, but they’re still sucking in AAA so I guess whatever for them. I really hope Feliz’s euthanization sticks this time.

They should also start thinking about moving some short term assets, which just means trying to get prospects for Rodriguez, Frazier and Anderson.

especially before the league reprimands them for using illegal substances on the ball. gotta strike while the iron is hot here, GMBC

Also, in honor of my tradition of posting a funny insult when a pirate gets cut or traded

Michael Feliz getting the “opener” start tonight. Nice of them to let everyone know they can do something else tonight.

The Pirates have DFA'd Todd Frazier. Todd went 3-35 in his Pirate career with a .086 batting average. But he did bat 1.000 against Dejan with 0 swings and misses

I don’t even know what prompted his heat toward Dejean, but it appears obvious that DK was correct about something.

I don’t even know what prompted his heat toward Dejean, but it appears obvious that DK was correct about something.

It seems like dejan was chortling bc’s balls coming out of camp when people were complaining about evans making the team over Frazier.

This is one of those classic instances where no one is right

A-U-N-E-O Suarez kills the bucs

Looks like Mick Keller started again today. Should have gone with Mitch

Looks like Mick Keller started again today. Should have gone with Mitch

Dude is as reliable as it gets.

Frazier was so bad but also hated DK and Madden so I'm kinda cool with him

Meh. At this point he just seems like a thin skinned little piss baby that sucks at baseball.