PITTSBURGH -- When the Pirates’ new regime, led by general manager Ben Cherington, took over ahead of the 2020 season, player development was front and center as the direction the team wanted to take, especially at the Minor League level.
After some big trades netted a horde of young talent, the Pirates will finally get to execute on that plan, as the Minor League season is set to begin on Tuesday.
“The lifeblood of our organization is going to be development,” manager Derek Shelton said. “We need to get these guys on the field. To get these guys on the field, it’s really cool.”
The club’s Double-A and Low-A affiliates, the Altoona Curve and the Bradenton Marauders, announced their rosters on Friday. The Triple-A Indianapolis Indians and the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers have yet to announce their Opening Day squads.
The Curve’s roster is stocked with eight of the Pirates’ Top 30 prospects, per MLB Pipeline, including No. 4 prospect Oneil Cruz. The No. 56 overall prospect will return to Altoona, where he played 35 games in 2019. Though Cruz got reps in the outfield during Spring Training, Shelton said the 6-foot-7 infielder will get the majority of his reps at his natural position.
“We’ve talked about versatility. Obviously, that’s going to be important, but he’s going to play shortstop,” Shelton said.
Among the other Top 30 prospects on Altoona's roster are Cody Bolton (No. 10), Ji-Hwan Bae (No. 14), Mason Martin (No. 15), Cal Mitchell (No. 18), Roansy Contreras (No. 20), Canaan-Smith Njigba (No. 26) and Max Kranick (No. 28).
The highest-ranked prospect headed to Bradenton is a new acquisition. Hudson Head, who was acquired in the package from the Padres for Joe Musgrove, last played at the now-defunct Rookie level, where the 20-year-old outfielder hit .283/.383/.417 with seven doubles, three triples and a homer in 32 games in 2019.
Joining Head with the Marauders among the Pirates’ Top 30 prospects are Brennan Malone (No. 8), Eddy Yean (No. 13), Sammy Siani (No. 19), Nick Garcia (No. 21), Endy Rodriguez (No. 27) and Alexander Mojica (No. 30).
One notable player who has yet to be assigned is No. 2 prospect Nick Gonzales. The seventh overall pick in 2020 and No. 36 prospect in baseball has yet to play a pro inning, though he did get time in Spring Training this year and hit 3-for-14 with a double and a home run. It appears the first stop for him will be High-A Greensboro vs. an aggressive placement at Double-A or a conservative placement at Low-A.
It’s not just the players who will benefit from the playing time afforded by a Minor League season. It’s the scouting department, which will benefit from seeing competitive innings from in-house and external prospects. It’s the organizational decision-makers, who may need to move guys up and down more frequently in a full 162-game season on the heels of a shortened 60-game season.
And as Shelton, a former Minor League manager in the Yankees’ system, can attest, it’s the Minor League coaching staff.
“I can’t imagine when I was a Minor League coach spending a whole year not being able to do what I love, so I think it’s cool for everybody that’s involved,” Shelton said.
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May 01, 2021 at 05:45AM
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Bucs' Double-A, Low-A teams reveal rosters - MLB.com
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