Here’s a look at Wednesday’s winter league action for players on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Tuesday saw a dozen Pirates get into games. In case you missed it, here’s our weekly Winter League Report article, focused on right-handed pitcher Osvaldo Bido. There was news from his winter team on Tuesday that the Pirates have ended Bido’s winter, so that article now also serves as a recap of his solid performance this off-season.
In Venezuela, Diego Castillo entered the game as the leading hitter in the league after his two-homer game on Tuesday. He couldn’t match that performance, but he still had a nice night, going 1-for-2 with a single, two walks and a run scored. He’s now hitting .365 with a 1.064 OPS in 19 games.
In Puerto Rico, Jeffrey Passantino tossed a scoreless frame on one hit, one walk and one strikeout. He has allowed one run in 8.1 innings.
In Colombia, Adrian Florencio got the start, and he went 3.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits, three walks and four strikeouts. He has a 6.94 ERA in 11.2 innings over four starts, with 14 hits, eight walks and 14 strikeouts.
Oliver Mateo tossed a scoreless inning on no hits, one walk and two strikeouts. He has given up one run over seven innings, with two hits allowed and 14 strikeouts. He also has nine walks.
Rodolfo Nolasco went 1-for-3 with a single, walk and run scored. He has a .277 average and a .939 OPS in 15 games.
Andres Alvarez went 2-for-5, with a triple, run scored and an RBI. He has a .351 average and a 1.021 OPS in 14 games.
Francisco Acuna went 1-for-3 with a double, walk and run scored. He has a .196 average and a .592 OPS in 15 games.
In Mexico, Jared Oliva went 0-for-4 with a run scored and his 14th stolen base. He has a .284 average and a .751 OPS in 40 games this winter.
Fabricio Macias went 2-for-4 with two doubles. He has a .253 average and a .664 OPS in 39 games.
John 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.
Is Andres Alvarez subject to the rule 5 draft? If so he is peaking at the right time and should be chosen and given a chance in the majors.
As mentioned in the league summaries, he’s a Double-A player in a league that is about Low-A quality. His stats in Colombia won’t move the needle, but it looks like he’s getting needed defensive work in the outfield
ZIPS projects Castillo & Castro very similarly next year. Maybe 2B should be a 3 way competition between those 2 & Bae (if Bae isn’t going to be played in CF). I think alot of ppl are pencilling in Castro which makes sense, but Castillo showed some promise at times too as a rookie. Wonder how much having him learn multiple positions in year messed with him. As far as the bat goes, he appears to be a natural middle-in pull hitter, but needs work with the stuff away.
That’s one of the things the Pirates asked him to work on this winter https://www.piratesprospects.com/2022/11/pirates-winter-report-diego-castillo-gains-some-needed-versatility-in-venezuela.html
I don´t buy it
Go out and sign Jean Segura
#2023HodgePodgers