As a player continues to develop through the system, you want to see players in the best position to have success. The last thing you want to do is overwhelm them by pushing them too far to where it can ruin their confidence and impact their progress.
You also want them to be challenged, as playing against competition that they have grown past doesn’t really set them up for long-term success.
That’s where the Pirates were at with Maikol Escotto. One of the youngest players on their Bradenton team last year, the shortstop had a good year, especially considering his age.
They had two options going into 2022 — continue to let him get work at Bradenton or really give him a push and send him to Greensboro. Management decided on the latter and sent him to High-A despite still being 19-years-old when the season began.
Things didn’t go as hoped.
Escotto flashed some of the power potential he had, but struggled to make contract. He struck out 36.3% of the time and batted just .164 before being sent back to the Complex League to try and get things back on track.
Since then he was pushed back to Bradenton. Escotto is starting to right the ship a bit, cutting down on the strikeouts. After Tuesday’s game, he’s at a 22.3% rate, walking more (9.5 BB%), while still showing that power potential (.179 ISO in Bradenton, .178 in Greensboro).
While it’s not ideal getting sent back to the level you played at the previous year, Escotto is still over a year younger than his competition in the league the second time around. He was met with adversity in Greensboro, knocked down, and is now in the process of bouncing back. That’s really what the minor leagues is all about.
Some other quick thoughts around the system from Tuesday night.
— Bubba Chandler’s fastball is so explosive, and he commands it very well. He struggled at the end and couldn’t close out the ninth, but you still take the overall results in a heartbeat. It’s a very good sign to see so many hitters struggling to keep up with the fastball, and his breaking pitches come around, he’s going to be a very good pitcher.
— Carlos Jimenez may be the big riser in the system, and Chandler and Anthony Solometo are two of the better prospects in the system, but no player impacts the Bradenton roster on a nightly basis like Jase Bowen. Offense, defense, it really doesn’t matter.
He recorded a RBI triple and double along with a run saving diving catch all by the third inning on Tuesday. You can watch Bowen on today’s DVR. MLB Pipeline finally recognized his talent and put him on their Top 30 list for the Pirates.
— You could roll a D20 (20-sided die) and still get 21 different potential outcomes when Carmen Mlodzinski is on the mound, but most aren’t heading in the right direction. For the third time in his last seven starts he lasted one inning or less. He threw 43 pitches in the first inning, getting pulled for Bear Bellomy.
If history serves right, he’ll probably throw five very solid innings next time around.
Mlodzinski needs to find some sort of middle ground and start working towards that.
Pirates Prospects Spotlight
Prospect Roundtable: Which Pirates Prospect Are You Watching in the Second Half?
Pirates Links
Prospect Watch
Today: Early Afternoon Games for Bradenton and Greensboro
Yesterday: Good Starting Pitching in the DSL, Not So Much Higher Up
Daily Video Rundown
Today: Jase Bowen Triple, Bubba Chandler Strikeout, Connor Scott Home Run
Pirates Discussion
Today: Travel Day Back to Pittsburgh
Yesterday: Tuesday Matinee against the Cubs
Pirates Prospects Daily Articles
- Pirates Sign Four More Draft Picks on Tuesday Night
- Minor Moves: Nick Mears Heads to Bradenton on Rehab
- Bonus Information on Pirates Fifth Round Pick, Tres Gonzalez
- Williams: The Pirates Are Hitting For Power and Nothing Else
- Prospect Roundtable: Which Pirates Prospect Are You Watching in the Second Half?
- Teaching the MLB Mindset in Triple-A
- Johan Montero: Curveball Control Key To First Half Success
- Player of the Week: Endy Rodriguez Shows Off the Power in Greensboro
THIS WEEK ON PIRATES PROSPECTS
Williams: The Pirates Are Hitting For Power and Nothing Else
Prospect Roundtable: Which Pirates Prospect Are You Watching in the Second Half?
Teaching the MLB Mindset in Triple-A
Johan Montero: Curveball Control Key To First Half Success
