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David Todd Podcast: Injury News, Masterson, Rogers and Prospects on the Rise

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I did my weekly radio interview with David Todd today on ESPN 970 in Pittsburgh. Here are the highlights of the interview, with the full podcast below.

**We start off by talking about Elias Diaz and his return to throwing, which he resumed this week. Also covered is the rehab progress of Austin Meadows, Cole Tucker and Stephen Tarpley.

**Next up was the signing of Justin Masterson and what he can do for the Pirates. We go over his recently injury past and finally being healthy, plus where he is at this time as far as when he can possibly help the Pirates.

**The focus then switched to a healthy prospect and how soon he could help the Pirates. We talked about Alen Hanson and the Pirates adding versatility to his resume by playing him at third base on Tuesday and left field on Wednesday. Hanson could probably help the bench now as a utility player, but his future still looks like it’s at second base in the majors.

**We discussed Jason Rogers and when we could see him in Pittsburgh. He is off to a fast start in Indianapolis this season.

**Reese McGuire has looked better at the plate this year and it comes from being more selective at the plate. We discuss the early changes that I saw during the opening week in Altoona.

**Finally, we go over two pitching prospects who have looked great early this season. Chad Kuhl doesn’t have great results early on, but it’s the stuff he has which stands out. His sinker can hit 96-97 MPH with a lot of movement and his slider is vastly improved. Also, Mitch Keller has a chance to be the next top pitching prospect in the system thanks to his 93-96 MPH fastball paired with a solid curve. He has thrown ten shutout innings this season and dominated while doing it.

Tim Williams
Tim Williams
Tim is the owner, producer, editor, and lead writer of PiratesProspects.com. He has been running Pirates Prospects since 2009, becoming the first new media reporter and outlet covering the Pirates at the MLB level in 2011 and 2012. His work can also be found in Baseball America, where he has been a contributor since 2014 and the Pirates' correspondent since 2019.

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