Today we take a look at how the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired their starting pitchers in the minor leagues. I included last year’s list so you can use it as a comparison, plus you see how the starters from last year have progressed through the system. Tomorrow, we will look at the position players.
First, here is last year’s list of starters, along with an update of where they are now. It includes six starters for Indianapolis because Nick Kingham was out with an ankle injury at the time, but he was supposed to be in the rotation. The chart includes how each of them were acquired, then where they are now:
2017 Starters
Indianapolis
Steven Brault, trade….Pirates rotation
Tyler Eppler, 2014 draft, 6th round…Indianapolis rotation
Clay Holmes, 2011 draft, 9th round…Pirates bullpen/Indianapolis rotation
Drew Hutchison, trade…released
Josh Lindblom, free agent…released
Nick Kingham, 2010 draft, 4th round…Indianapolis rotation
Altoona
Alex McRae, 2014 draft, 10th round…Indianapolis rotation
Brandon Waddell, 2015 draft, 5th round…Altoona rotation
Yeudy Garcia, international signing…Altoona bullpen
JT Brubaker, 2015 draft, 6th round…Altoona rotation
Tanner Anderson, 2015 draft, 20th round…Indianapolis bullpen
Bradenton
Mitch Keller, 2014 draft, 2nd round…Altoona rotation
Gage Hinsz, 2014 draft, 11th round…Bradenton rotation (soon)
Taylor Hearn, trade…Altoona rotation
Pedro Vasquez, trade…Altoona rotation (eventually)
Dario Agrazal, international…Altoona rotation
West Virginia
Cam Vieaux, 2016 draft, 6th round…Bradenton rotation
Matt Anderson, 2016 draft, 10th round….retired
Oddy Nunez, international…Bradenton rotation
Luis Escobar, international…Bradenton rotation
James Marvel, 2015 draft, 36th round…Bradenton rotation
As you can see, 16 of the 21 players are still in the starting rotation somewhere in the system. That could go down once Clay Holmes returns to Indy and Hinsz and Vasquez join their teams, depending on who goes to the bullpen to make room for them.
So now we look at the 2018 group and how they were acquired, so we can do this same comparison next year. I included Holmes, Hinsz and Vasquez in the charts below, so the total is 23 players.
2018 Starters
Indianapolis
Tyler Eppler – 2014 draft, sixth round
Clay Holmes – 2011 draft, ninth round
Nick Kingham – 2010 draft, fourth round
Austin Coley – 2014 draft, eighth round
Alex McRae – 2014 draft, tenth round
Casey Sadler – 2010 draft, 25th round
Altoona
Mitch Keller – 2014 draft, second round
Dario Agrazal – international signing
Taylor Hearn – trade
Pedro Vasquez – trade
JT Brubaker – 2015 draft, sixth round
Brandon Waddell – 2015 draft, fifth round
Bradenton
Gage Hinsz – 2014, 11th round
Oddy Nunez – international
Luis Escobar – international
Eduardo Vera – international
Cam Vieaux – 2016, sixth round
James Marvel – 2015, 36th round
West Virginia
Sergio Cubilete – international
Domingo Robles – international
Braeden Ogle – 2016, fourth round
Travis MacGregor – 2016, fourth round
Gavin Wallace – 2017, 15th round
As you can see, the Pirates didn’t fill out any rotations with free agent signings this year. It’s filled with a lot of draft picks, including all six pitchers for Indianapolis. There are also six international players, compared to four last year. The trades for Pedro Vasquez and Taylor Hearn helped round out the Altoona rotation.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pittsburgh Pirates lost 13-5 to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night. The Pirates will now send Trevor Williams to the mound to try to take two out of three in the series. Williams threw six no-hit innings in his debut, then allowed two runs on ten hits over 5.1 innings in his second outing. The Cubs will counter with right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who allowed four runs on nine hits in five innings against the Brewers in his last start. He gave up one run over six innings in his debut.
The minor league schedule includes Indianapolis going on the road for the first time, with Tyler Eppler trying to build on 5.2 shutout innings with ten strikeouts in his debut. They play an early afternoon game. Travis MacGregor makes his second start after striking out 12 batters over 5.1 innings in his debut. Altoona has off today. Oddy Nunez makes his second start today. His debut was shortened to one inning due to a rain delay.
MLB: Pittsburgh (8-3) @ Cubs (6-5) 2:20 PM
Probable starter: Trevor Williams (1.59 ERA, 5:6 SO/BB, 11.1 IP)
AAA: Indianapolis (3-3) @ Buffalo (2-1) 2:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Tyler Eppler (0.00 IP, 10:1 SO/BB, 5.2 IP)
AA: Altoona (4-2) @ Erie (3-3) 6:05 PM 4/13 (season preview)
Probable starter: Dario Agrazal (0.00 ERA, 2:3 SO/BB, 6.0 IP)
High-A: Bradenton (5-2) @ Lakeland (3-4) 6:30 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Oddy Nunez (0.00 ERA, 1:0 SO/BB, 1.0 IP)
Low-A: West Virginia (3-4) @ Hickory (0-6) 7:00 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Travis MacGregor (1.69 ERA, 12:1 SO/BB, 5.1 IP)
HIGHLIGHTS
From Tuesday in Altoona, a slimmer Will Craig gets around the bases much faster than his 2017 version.
Just like we drew it up.
Tonight's game-winner, courtesy of @WCraigers22 pic.twitter.com/tv5btMfeWb
— Altoona Curve (@AltoonaCurve) April 11, 2018
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
4/11: Pirates sign Denny Roman and Cristian Charle
4/10: Bryan Reynolds placed on Altoona disabled list. Jason Martin activated from DL.
4/5: Pirates claim Jesus Liranzo from Los Angeles Dodgers. Placed on Altoona disabled list.
4/2: Kevin Siegrist placed on suspended list for Indianapolis.
4/2: Pirates place Joe Musgrove on DL; Recall Clay Holmes
3/31: Pirates release Clark Eagan
3/29: Pirates placed AJ Schugel on disabled list.
3/28: Pirates release seven minor league players, including Barrett Barnes and Cody Dickson
THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY
There have been nine former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, including Hall of Fame pitcher Vic Willis, who spent just four seasons with the Pirates, but he put up some big stats during that time. When the Pirates acquired Willis, he was known as a workhorse starter, though it was with the Boston Doves (Braves) and they weren’t a good team. In the three seasons prior to his acquisition by the Pirates, Willis had a combined 42-72 record. That was back when a starting pitcher usually finished what they started.
The four-player deal that brought him to the Pirates in December of 1905 turned everything around for Willis and was the key to getting him inducted to the Hall of Fame 90 years later. In his four seasons in Pittsburgh, he won at least 21 games each year and threw at least 289.2 innings each year. He had a 2.08 ERA in 1,209 innings with the Pirates and helped the team to the 1909 World Series.
Willis was sold to the Cardinals prior to the 1910 season and lasted just one more season in the Majors. He finished with 249 wins and 50 shutouts, which ranks 19th all-time. Willis completed 388 of his 471 starts. You can read much more on his career in the link above under his name.
One player of note from the “other eight players” born on this date. Reliever Jeff Wallace holds a Pirates’ record most people don’t know, possibly even Wallace for that matter. He holds the team record for most pitching appearances without a loss. Between 1997, and then 1999-2000, he pitched 90 times without ending up in the loss column. The next closest to him all-time is Joakim Soria with 29 games.
Another interesting one is Woodie Fryman, who won 141 games during his career. He spent the 1966-67 seasons with the Pirates, before they traded him to the Phillies for Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning. Fryman won those 141 games, plus saved 58 others, despite the fact that he didn’t sign his first pro contract until he was 25 years old.
In other history, the Pirates opened the 1960 season in Milwaukee on April 12th that year. They lost 4-3 to the Braves after Roy Face gave up two runs in the eighth inning. Warren Spahn was the opposing starter and he homered off Pirates’ starter Bob Friend. Dick Stuart had three hits, while Roberto Clemente had two hits and drove in a run. You can view the boxscore here. It wasn’t the best start to the season, but things obviously turned out well in Pittsburgh in 1960.
