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Tito Polo to be Promoted to Bradenton, Newman Wins FSL Player of the Week

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Pirates Prospects has learned that West Virginia center fielder Tito Polo is expected to be promoted to Bradenton following the South Atlantic League All-Star game on Tuesday night. Polo is having a breakout season this year, posting a .302/.368/.551 slash line in 54 games, with 14 doubles, three triples, 12 homers and 20 stolen bases. He leads all Pirates in homers and stolen bases.

Polo was with West Virginia last year and struggled at the plate, though he stole 46 bases and played strong defense in center field, showing occasional glimpses of success. This year, the 21-year-old Polo is showing off all five tools, making him an intriguing prospect in the system. His biggest issue has been a tendency to be a free swinger, chasing breaking balls out of the zone. The Florida State League should be a good test since it’s more of a pitcher-friendly league than the SAL and he will see less fastballs.

Bradenton is currently two position players short on their roster due to Tomas Morales being promoted to Indianapolis, and Kevin Newman going to Altoona.

Speaking of Newman, he was named the FSL Player of the Week last week for his .636/.615/1.182 slash line in three games. He did spend the end of the week in Altoona, though the FSL had a shortened week due to their All-Star game on Saturday.

John Dreker
John Dreker
John started working at Pirates Prospects in 2009, but his connection to the Pittsburgh Pirates started exactly 100 years earlier when Dots Miller debuted for the 1909 World Series champions. John was born in Kearny, NJ, two blocks from the house where Dots Miller grew up. From that hometown hero connection came a love of Pirates history, as well as the sport of baseball. When he didn't make it as a lefty pitcher with an 80+ MPH fastball and a slider that needed work, John turned to covering the game, eventually focusing in on the prospects side, where his interest was pushed by the big league team being below .500 for so long. John has covered the minors in some form since the 2002 season, and leads the draft and international coverage on Pirates Prospects. He writes daily on Pittsburgh Baseball History, when he's not covering the entire system daily throughout the entire year on Pirates Prospects.

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