Welcome to the Pirates Prospects daily video rundown, where we pull some of the top videos of the Pittsburgh Pirates across the internet.
Rodolfo Castro
It’s been an interesting spring for Castro, who jumped on the boards early on with a grand slam, but hasn’t been great overall since. When he makes contact it’s great, as shown by his home run on Thursday, but he’s also seeing more time as a late game replacement as the spring has progressed.
Rodolfo Castro got every bit of this one! pic.twitter.com/ojFtfGiIBH
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) March 23, 2023
Johan Oviedo
The righty came in the game after the Pirates used Duane Underwood Jr. as an opener. Oviedo pitched four innings in total, struggling in his final inning of work, but overall he struck out seven batters on the day.
Johan Oviedo with 7 Ks on the day. pic.twitter.com/T3rKDw5WQ1
— Young Bucs (@YoungBucsPIT) March 23, 2023
Ji-Hwan Bae
He really struggled early on in spring, but it looks like Bae is starting to turn the corner a bit, driving in a run in Thursday game against the Red Sox.
Ji-Hwan Bae drives in Canaan Smith-Njigba with a RBI single to tie the game at two. #Pirates pic.twitter.com/7fIq97KIlq
— Anthony Murphy (@__Murphy88) March 24, 2023
Anthony began writing over 10 years ago, starting a personal blog to cover the 2011 MLB draft, where the Pirates selected first overall. After bouncing around many websites covering hockey, he refocused his attention to baseball, his first love when it comes to sports. He eventually found himself here at Pirates Prospects in late 2021, where he covers the team’s four full season minor league affiliates.
Hope to see Bae hit more line drives, my issue with him has been the weak contact, I know that he will beat many of those with his wheels, but if that is all he has to offer he won’t succeed. Would love to see Adam Frazier type of contact from him, not another Newman.
He came through with a line drive RBI single up the middle last night when it was needed with a runner on second. I liked that because we haven’t seen a lot of situational hitting this spring from our team as a whole.
I thought situational hitting went out of the game when steroids came into the game, and never found its way back.
Yes, he had a good at bat.
Castro’s HR was 105.7 EV and traveled 409 feet. That’s special, but that EV put him 6th (I think) behind Cruz with EV’s of 115.1, 110.4, & 106.9 and Hayes with two hits with EV’s of 109.1, & 105.9.
Oviedo’s line of 4 IP, 4 H, 2ER, 0 Walks, 7 K’s, and throwing only 55 pitches of which 40 were strikes was VG for the future of the Pirates. He would be my choice for the No. 5 guy in the Rotation. He’s turned around that bad first start of ST.
If there is a battle for 2B, IMO it is a coin flip between Castro and Bae. Give Castro the edge based on power and MLB experience, and Bae to be the Utility Player. Both give the Pirates the ability to play multiple positions – Castro plays 2B, 3B, SS; Bae plays 2B, SS, CF.
For those interested, Blake Sabol has started the last 2 games for the Giants at C and LF and I think had 3 hits. He’s going to be a keeper!
“For those interested, Blake Sabol has started the last 2 games for the Giants at C and LF and I think had 3 hits. He’s going to be a keeper!”
plz don’t remind me
Blake Sabol leads all MLB hitters this spring in OPS, SLG, OBP, and is 2nd in AVG., and he has 7 XBHs.
If he does it in April I’ll be impressed, and maybe a little bothered he was exposed in Rule 5 draft. Maybe.
Does the name Vilade bother you? Does me.
Ha!
Gotta admit I’d have a hard time rostering either Jack or CSN over him at this point if he were a Pirate…
good stuff good stuff (whispering to myself that spring training doesn’t matter….it doesn’t matter)
Always cool to see a guy getting jammed inside and still getting a hit.