31.2 F
Pittsburgh

Minor League Injury Updates: Barrett Barnes, Jin-De Jhang, Adrian Valerio

Published:

BRADENTON, Fla. – Barrett Barnes and Jin-De Jhang were both cut from big league camp in the last week, but not before suffering injuries. Barnes left his final game with a hamstring issue, and was cut the next day.

There isn’t an estimate on when he could return, but the Pirates could give Barnes plenty of time to get back, due to his lengthy history of hamstring injuries. I talked with Pirates’ Director of Minor League Operations Larry Broadway, who said that Barnes has a hamstring strain, and they are seeing how it progresses.

As for Jhang, he pulled an oblique in big league camp. He didn’t play in a game since March 1st, and there’s not an estimate on when he will return. It would be unlikely that he could start the season in Altoona, although that is where he will end up when he does return.

**Adrian Valerio was hit in the hand with a pitch, leading to a broken hand. It’s not a hamate injury, but he’s in a cast and should be out for 4-6 weeks.  That would put his debut in West Virginia around late-April or early-May.

**Jon Schwind and Scooter Hightower are both out with oblique strains as well. Schwind is an upper level organizational guy, taking on a super utility role. Hightower is a lower level reliever.

**Jerrick Suiter hurt his thumb in the field, possibly dislocating it. He had an MRI this week, and currently has a brace on the thumb. Suiter is the best defensive first baseman in the system, and could be playing for Altoona this year.

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.

Related Articles

Latest Articles