Pirates Prospects has learned that right-handed pitcher James Marvel has been promoted to the Bradenton Marauders. After pitching tonight in West Virginia, Marvel was informed that he was promoted to Bradenton, where he will take the rotation spot left vacant by the promotion of Mitch Keller.
Marvel threw five innings tonight, so he won’t likely be added to the Bradenton roster right away. He finishes his time in West Virginia with a 3.99 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP and a 75:29 SO/BB ratio in 94.2 innings over 20 starts.
UPDATE 11:00 PM: From Tim Williams…
I talked with Marvel and West Virginia manager Wyatt Toregas after tonight’s game, and will have more on him tomorrow. I will also have thoughts on tonight’s game in the Prospect Watch.
This move is part of the chain reaction from Mitch Keller moving up. Marvel will be replaced in West Virginia by left-hander Oddy Nunez, who will be activated from the disabled list tomorrow, and will make the start for West Virginia.
In other West Virginia news, the two players acquired for Tony Watson should be making their debuts this weekend. Infielder Oneil Cruz is expected to make his debut on Saturday. He had a minor back issue prior to the trade, and the Pirates are giving him some time for evaluation before rushing him into a game. Right-handed pitcher Angel German is expected to be worked into the bullpen mix in the next day or two.
+ postsJohn 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.
I think it’s time to start focusing on Oddy Nunez more instead of thr fact that Tanner Anderson has an old timey delivery and it’s fun. Lets get some real content.
Marvelous news!
(I’m on fire this week!)
Queue rimshot.
Fun fact: I learned the word “queue” playing Roller Coaster Tycoon.
This has been Educational Adventures with a Young Darkstone42.
Just curious, did you expect Marvel to get the call up? I know he’s had some control issues at times but I was thinking that Luis Escobar would be the next pitcher from the Power staff to get moved up to Bradenton.
They typically leave younger guys like Escobar in West Virginia all season, and promote college guys mid-season.
that’s what i thought too, but i guess since marvel was a college pitcher, they want to move him a little bit faster through the system.
this is marvel’s first full year back from tj surgery, yes?
Basically, yes. He returned last year, but was limited to short-season ball. He probably would have been in West Virginia last year without the Tommy John recovery.
thx tim
Tony Watson and ArqCam return Jake Brentz, 22, LHRP AA; Pedro Vasquez, 21, RHSP Hi A; Angel German, 21, RHRP, Lo A; Oneil Cruz, 18, 3B/SS, Lo A. Lots to build with for 2 guys we were not going to keep.
Regardless of what comes of these prospects, the alternative was nothing.
time will tell.