Jeff Locke Promoted to AAA

Posted by on August 12, 2011 | 6 Comments

Left handed pitching prospect Jeff Locke has been promoted to AAA by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  So far this season, Locke has a 4.03 ERA in 125 innings, along with an 8.2 K/9 and a 3.3 BB/9 ratio.  Locke had a nice start on Wednesday, pitching 5.2 shutout innings, while striking out six.  In his last five starts, the 23 year old has allowed seven earned runs in 30.2 innings, along with a 22:8 K/BB ratio.  This will be Locke’s first shot at the AAA level, after pitching 182.2 innings combined at the AA level over the last two seasons.

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Tim is the owner and editor in chief of Pirates Prospects. He started the site in January 2009, and turned it into his full time job during the 2011 season. Prior to starting Pirates Prospects, Tim worked with AccuScore.com, providing MLB, NHL, and NFL coverage to various national media outlets, including ESPN Insider, USA Today, Yahoo Sports, and the Wall Street Journal. He also writes the annual Prospect Guide, which is sold through the site. Tim moved to Bradenton in 2013, and will be providing live coverage all year of the Bradenton Marauders, GCL Pirates, instructs, mini camp, Spring Training, and lunches at Mixon's Fruit Farms.
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6 Responses

  1. Anonymous
    August 12, 2011 at 4:32 pm

    Takes Owens spot I guess?

  2. Anonymous
    August 12, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    It was time to see what Locke can do at this level. While he has had an inconsistent 2011 compared to 2010, he still has an upside to be a #4 or #5 starter in the bigs. And while this is being discussed why is it that Atlanta hits on their pitching draft choices so often. Instead of sending scouts out, it might be better to put money into bugging the Atlanta draft meetings.

    • jonathan
      August 12, 2011 at 10:47 pm

      atlanta doesn’t hit on their draft choices more often than us… they develop their prospects better overall… i think development is our achille’s heal for now, our scouting and drafting has been excellent but many of our upper level talents have regressed under our minor league coaching ( and major league coaching under russell et al ) 

  3. jonathan
    August 12, 2011 at 10:45 pm

    what’s up with everyone evaluating our pitchers as “4 or 5′s” … our guys have more potential than that jeebus was maddux, glavine and smoltz 4 and 5′s? our guys have just as good of stuff as them… number 1? probably not but certainly have the potential to be 2′s and 3′s… i’m talking about morris, owens, lincoln, locke, von rosenberg, cain etc not one guy in particular… they have good stuff

    • Anonymous
      August 15, 2011 at 2:19 am

      I don’t think 1 of the guys you mentioned is better then a #3 starter with the possible exception of Morris and Lincoln but neither one is looking like it right now….