The Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting outfielder Matt Gorski to Altoona, Pirates Prospects has learned.
This move comes on a day when Gorski hit three home runs — including a walk-off in a 4-3 Greensboro victory. It also follows a week when Gorski hit eight home runs total, extending his system lead to 17.
Putting that in perspective, Gorski now has more home runs than any two prospects in the farm system — or any three of his Greensboro teammates. We’ve talked about the offensive-friendly environment in Greensboro, but what we’re seeing from Gorski extends well beyond park factors.
After his home runs today, Gorski has a .294/.377/.754 line in 126 at-bats. He’s got nine stolen bases in ten attempts, to go with the 17 homers. His season numbers would be strong over the course of a full year, but it has only been two months, making this promotion well-deserved.
The most impressive thing has been how Gorski has done this while reducing his strikeouts and increasing his walk rate from last year. He’s repeating the High-A level, after a .710 OPS in his first full pro season in 2021. We’ll have a further breakdown of what worked for Gorski this week on Pirates Prospects.
This promotion will give a big test for the 24-year old, who was taken in the second round in 2019. Gorski can play strong defense in center field, but has also gotten work at first base, where his power would absolutely play. He’s been valued as a power/speed center fielder with concerns about his contact ability. Gorski could enter the discussion surrounding the future outfield scene if he keeps hitting in Altoona, which would be likely if the contact improvements carry over to a higher level.
Here’s a look at that game winner today:
+ postsThe walk-off home run from @matthew_gorski7 after already hitting 2 earlier. Oh yeah, it was the first pitch he saw! pic.twitter.com/7vQ9USn2Sg
— Greensboro Grasshoppers (@GSOHoppers) May 22, 2022
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.
Absolutely love the bat flip!
Very well earned and deserving. Now, let’s see if he can still display power in Altoona and AA.
Well Altoona is closer to Pittsburgh so if he’s raking for the Curve he’s two hours away. I have tickets for Harrisburg on the 25th so I hope Davis is back also.
So to get promoted before mid-season, you have to either be a) absolutely crushing pitching in a league you were probably too advanced for anyway, or b) Carter Bins.
Baker told me last year that the pandemic-lost year played an impact in their promotion strategy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a different approach this year.
I guess we’ll see soon enough. The next several candidates from my perspective are Mitchell and Bae from Indy to Pittsburgh (with corresponding DFAs), and Marcano and Burrows to Indianapolis.
I would really like to see more guys going up from Indianapolis now, with Mitchell and Bae near the top of my list.
Yeah, I think we’ve hit the point where there’s really nothing to lose and everything to gain by making those moves now.
Now would be a great time for Matt Fraizer to get his act together before Gorski leapfrogs him in the CF depth chart. It was about now that he made the same promotion a year ago.
He’s hitting better lately.
I feel silly for asking, but is he a switch hitter?
Right-handed only.
Good, thanks.
you have to put up stratospheric stats to get promoted under baker 😂 😂
regardless. it’s good to see. hope he can continue his success! altoona’s lineup gets even more loaded
Pirates organization doing a good job of having “look over here” timely promotions to distract from mlb team, tip of the cap🤣🤣🤣