Over these next four days, I want to look at the progress of the top prospects at the end of last year for each of the four lower levels for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
We start at the bottom with the Dominican Summer League. I did this list after talking to a lot of people and it was based more on overall potential than current status. That means that I wasn’t going for which ten players would be the best in 2018. I was looking 5-6 years down the line to see who had the most potential based on the reports I received. Here’s the list, followed by comments:
1. Jean Eusebio
2. Sherten Apostel
3. Francisco Acuna
4. Samuel Inoa
5. Noe Toribio
6. Samuel Reyes
7. Oliver Garcia
8. Santiago Florez
9. Pedro Castillo
10. Luis Arrieta
After reports from Spring Training this year, I’d probably have Sherten Apostel (pictured above) first, but it would be very close. To start with, there is a big difference between the two young players. Jean Eusebio is 17 months younger than Apostel and still has a lot more room to fill out, while Apostel has filled out already. At this stage, those two differences could lead to a large margin in current results. We already saw Apostel skip to Bristol, while Eusebio takes the more conventional path by starting in the GCL.
I originally went with Eusebio because he’s a four-tool outfielder with power potential (he’s still just 17 years old). Apostel is already showing plenty of power and patience at the plate. The real difference between them for future value is you’re talking about an average third baseman versus an above average center fielder. There is a lot of difference in position value and speed between the two players, which both play in favor of Eusebio.
Apostel is going to wow us more this year and possibly down the line, but Eusebio has a chance to be a special player. The reason I’d probably flip my spots on them right now is that Apostel has the same patient approach at the plate, but the power is game ready. I didn’t get great reports on Eusebio’s power. He wasn’t driving the ball well like I actually saw last year in game video of his at-bats I was able to view. He’s taken a slight step back in that area against better pitching, while Apostel hasn’t seen that drop.
There’s a clear drop-off after those two players, though still a lot of potential with rest of the group. Only Pedro Castillo remained in the DSL this year, though he’s playing much better, so I’d still have him on that list at #9, with Arrieta lacking strong off-speed pitches at this point, which would keep him in the tenth spot.
Those two may not even be on the list if I did it over now because I got strong reports on pitchers Wilmer Contreras and Randy Jimenez that I didn’t get last year. Contreras retired all nine batters he faced yesterday in the GCL opener. Jimenez has a cutter/sinker combo, giving him two pitches in the low-90s with a lot of movement and his control has really improved since last year. With Jimenez, he was so bad last year that I want to see how he handles games before I’m completely sold on him.
Six of the players on the list are in the GCL right now, so that’s good for following the lowest level U.S. team, where we will be able to get more game reports. Two of the more advanced players from thee 2017 DSL Pirates ended up skipping to Bristol, with Apostel joined there by Oliver Garcia, who has looked really well recently. As mentioned, Castillo is in the DSL, while Samuel Reyes has thrown six shutout innings in three appearances for the West Virginia. He pitched in the GCL for part of last year and if you had to guess who could make the majors first of those ten players, it would clearly be him.
TODAY’S SCHEDULE
Today’s Starter and Notes: The Pittsburgh Pirates won 1-0 over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night. The Pirates will now send Jameson Taillon to the mound for his 14th start. He allowed two runs over seven innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last start. The Brewers scheduled starter is right-hander Freddy Peralta, who has a 3.72 ERA in 9.2 innings, with 18 strikeouts and a 1.24 WHIP. He gave up four runs over four innings in his last start after striking out 13 batters in his big league debut.
The minor league schedule includes Mitch Keller on the mound for Altoona. He gave up two runs over six innings in his last start, with four walks and three strikeouts. He has faced Richmond (today’s opponent) twice already, allowing four runs over 14 innings. Clay Holmes has allowed one run over 18 innings in his last three starts combined. Oddy Nunez gave up one run over five innings in his last start after returning from a trip to the disabled list. Bristol begins their season today with Steven Jennings on the mound. We will have a season preview on the site soon. Eighth round pick Zach Spears will make his pro debut for Morgantown. West Virginia is on their All-Star break.
MLB: Pittsburgh (36-36) vs Brewers (42-30) 7:05 PM
Probable starter: Jameson Taillon (3.94 ERA, 71:21 SO/BB, 77.2 IP)
AAA: Indianapolis (36-31) vs Norfolk (36-30) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Clay Holmes (3.66 ERA, 63:30 SO/BB, 59.0 IP)
AA: Altoona (34-29) @ Richmond (34-32) 6:35 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Mitch Keller (3.25 ERA, 66:29 SO/BB, 72.0 IP)
High-A: Bradenton (34-29) vs Clearwater (31-35) 6:30 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Oddy Nunez (3.98 ERA, 40:21 SO/BB, 61.0 IP)
Low-A: West Virginia (37-29) @ Hickory (30-38) 7:05 PM 6/21 (season preview)
Probable starter: TBD (0.00 ERA, 0.0 SO/BB, 0.0 IP)
Short-Season A: Morgantown (0-4) @ Batavia (2-2) 7:05 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Zach Spears (0.00 ERA, 0:0 SO/BB, 0.0 IP)
Rookie: Bristol (0-0) @ Greeneville (0-0) 7:00 PM (season preview)
Probable starter: Steven Jennings (0.00 ERA, 0:0 SO/BB, 0.0 IP)
GCL: Pirates (0-1) vs Braves 12:00 PM (season preview)
DSL: Pirates1 (6-8) vs Cubs1 10:30 AM (season preview)
DSL: Pirates2 (4-10) vs Mariners 10:30 AM (season preview)
HIGHLIGHTS
From Sunday, Jose Osuna blasts a long home run to left field.
RECENT TRANSACTIONS
6/18: Richard Rodriguez activated from disabled list. Dovydas Neverauskas optioned to Indianapolis
6/18: Pirates recall Jose Osuna. Jacob Stallings optioned to Indianapolis.
6/16: Tyler Eppler placed on Temporary Inactive List.
6/15: Jung Ho Kang assigned to Indianapolis.
6/15: Pirates sign Travis Swaggerty
6/14: Pirates release Luis Cadet and Jess Amedee.
6/14: Pirates sign Antonio Gonzalez.
6/13: Pirates sign Enrique Santana, Bladimir Susana and Domingo Gonzalez.
6/13: Pirates sign nine draft picks.
6/13: Oddy Nunez activated from the disabled list. Jess Amedee assigned to Bristol.
6/12: Jerrick Suiter placed on Indianapolis disabled list.
6/12: Pirates sign three draft picks.
6/12: Enny Romero assigned to Bradenton on rehab
6/11: Pirates sign seven draft picks.
6/11: Jung Ho Kang assigned to Indianapolis on rehab.
6/10: Ivan Nova activated from the DL. Nick Kingham optioned to Indianapolis.
6/10: Jacob Stallings recalled from Indianapolis. Adam Frazier optioned to Indianapolis.
6/9: Jackson Williams added to Indianapolis roster.
THIS DATE IN PIRATES HISTORY
Ten former Pittsburgh Pirates players born on this date, including two very good pitchers. Here is a quick list of the first eight, starting with the most recent. Catcher Dusty Brown (2011), first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz (2008), pitcher Willis Roberts (2004), outfielder Butch Davis (1987), shortstop Johnnie LeMaster (1985), third baseman Fernando Gonzalez (1972-73, 1977-78), pinch-hitter Don Gutteridge (1948) and pitch-hitter Harry Daubert (1915). You can read about all of these players in the link above.
Two others who put in more significant time. Jerry Reuss pitched for the Pirates from 1974-78, then returned during the 1990 season. He went 61–46, 3.52 in 158 games for Pittsburgh. The Pirates traded him to the Dodgers right before the start of the 1979 season. He pitched 22 seasons in the majors and won 220 games. You can read much more on Reuss here.
Bill Swift pitched for the Pirates from 1932 until 1939 and he won at least 11 games in each of his first five seasons with the club. He finished with a 91-79, 3.57 record in 164 starts and 141 relief appearances with Pittsburgh. As a rookie in 1932, he walked 1.09 batters per nine innings, which is the lowest total for a Pirates pitcher since that season. You can read a full bio on Swift here.
