With the State College Spikes season ending last night, I took the opportunity to check in with the coaching staff on the status of #11 prospect Barrett Barnes and right-handed pitcher Jake Burnette.
Barnes suffered a stress fracture in his leg earlier this season and hasn’t played since August 1st. Manager Dave Turgeon reports that Barnes has yet to resume baseball activity.
“It’s healing properly, and he has one more bone scan,” said Turgeon. “We’ll probably have him in action by the latter third of instructional league where he’ll be back to full baseball activities. He’s on schedule.”
2011 7th round draft pick Jake Burnette is one of several high-upside projectable prep arms taken by the Pirates in recent drafts. Burnette only threw 21 innings this season before hitting the shelf with soreness in his elbow.
“He’s good. He’s been throwing side sessions [about five or six], and he’ll be ready to go in the instructional league,” said pitching coach Justin Meccage.
Burnette underwent a series of tests, and doctors’ concluded that it was just a case of soreness, so he should be ready for game activity soon.
I did not receive comment on 2012 24th round draft pick Tyler Gaffney. The outfielder had been out with a shoulder injury since last week, but all indications are that the injury is not serious. Gaffney has reportedly wanted to return to action as the season has closed.
September 6, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Any news on how Josh Bell has been doing with his knee? Haven’t seen anything on him in awhile
September 6, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I was thinking Arizona fall league?
September 8, 2012 at 5:07 pm
I’m not sure on Bell’s current status, but he’s not listed on the AFL roster: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/afl/club.jsp?team_id=544
September 8, 2012 at 7:09 pm
They could add him still…and when did the pirates switch from sending their players to mesa?
Twitter: timwilliamsp2
September 8, 2012 at 7:26 pm
The AFL is for upper level players. Teams can only send one player below AA, and the Pirates already have Gift Ngoepe.
The assignments change each year. Last year it was Mesa. The year before it was Scottsdale. They’re back to Scottsdale now.
September 8, 2012 at 8:47 pm
ok…thanks…do you think they would send JT or would they just rather shut his arm down until spring training
Twitter: timwilliamsp2
September 9, 2012 at 12:43 am
They’d probably just keep him in instructs. He’ll pitch in games during the instructional leagues, but it will be more controlled. That allows for a better environment to work on new pitches (his two-seam fastball, for example) or refine old pitches (his changeup).
September 10, 2012 at 9:59 am
Actually that is incorrect, you can send two A+ level players.
Twitter: timwilliamsp2
September 10, 2012 at 10:28 am
Here are the rules:
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/winterleagues/about/?league=119&id=player_elig
September 10, 2012 at 11:26 am
That is last year’s rules, they are different now. There are 35 man rosters now. See the bottom of this page
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120829&content_id=37521204&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb
Twitter: timwilliamsp2
September 10, 2012 at 11:51 am
Thanks. I wasn’t aware they changed the eligibility rules.
September 7, 2012 at 10:00 am
He’s wrapping $100 bills around and thanking God he took the money.