The Pittsburgh Pirates’ future is getting a real postseason test, and a handful of their best prospects are right in the middle of it.
Greensboro, the Pirates’ High-A affiliate, is headed to the South Atlantic League Championship Series after taking the final two games of its three-game Division Series against Frederick, the Baltimore Orioles’ affiliate. The Grasshoppers will open the title series on Sept. 13 against the Winston-Salem Dash, the Chicago White Sox’s High-A club.
This has been a strong year for Greensboro, and a big reason for that has been the wave of Pirates prospects that cycled through the roster. Some of those names are already getting close to the majors, with a few potentially in line for MLB debuts as soon as next season.
The group includes top pitching prospect Seth Hernandez, who is out for the season with a left oblique strain. Third baseman Murf Gray, catcher Easton Carmichael and outfielder Lonnie White Jr. are finishing their year at Double-A Altoona.
On the position-player side, outfielder Edward Florentino has drawn the most attention, while shortstop Wyatt Sanford and catcher/first baseman Axiel Plaz both put together breakout seasons. First baseman Tony Blanco Jr. flashed his big-time power all year, and third baseman/outfielder Jhonny Severino was one of the South Atlantic League’s best hitters.
On the pitching side, left-hander Reinold Navarro and right-hander Levi Sterling spent most of the season with Single-A Bradenton before moving up to Greensboro late in the year.
The playoffs have given Greensboro a stage for its best players to deliver, and they did just that after dropping Game 1, 13-1, at home to Frederick on Sept. 8.
The Grasshoppers bounced back with a 5-3 road win in Game 2 on Sept. 10, then clinched the series with a 7-5 victory in Game 3 on Sept. 11.
Florentino was the difference in the last two games. He hit two solo homers, including one that pushed Greensboro ahead 5-0 in the sixth inning of Game 2 and another that tied Game 3 at 5-5 in the eighth, setting up a three-run frame that sent Greensboro through.
Blanco also left his mark in Game 2, launching a three-run homer in the third inning to give Greensboro a 3-0 lead.
Sanford, who finished the season with 19 home runs, added two solo shots of his own in Game 3. He led off the game with a homer to put Greensboro ahead 1-0, then later cut the deficit to 3-2 in the third inning with another blast.
Sterling and Navarro were key pieces in the Game 2 win. Sterling worked five scoreless innings, giving up just one hit and two walks while striking out five.
Navarro followed with three dominant innings, punching out eight of the first 10 hitters he faced and finishing with nine strikeouts. He did run into some trouble in the ninth, but the fastball was there - the kind of four-seamer that can carry him to the major leagues.
Greensboro now heads on the road for Game 1 of the championship series against Winston-Salem on Sept. 13, with Game 2 set for Sept. 15 and Game 3, if needed, on Sept. 16.
In Other News...
Pirates Lose A Productive Young Bat At The Worst Time
Esmerlyn Valdez had been one of the more productive young bats in the Pirates system, so his move to the 10-day injured list lands at an awkward time for a club trying to keep options open in the outfield. The Pirates made the roster move after Valdez strained his left hamstring while running to first base, and while the injury sent him to the shelf, there is still no clear sense yet of how long he might be out.
Ronny Simon was summoned from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the open spot on the active roster, giving Pittsburgh another utility option while it waits for more information on Valdez. For now, the concern is less about the replacement and more about what the Pirates lost, since any extended absence from a young hitter with momentum can change the look of the roster quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Pirates Need Jake Mangum Again After Another Costly Outfield Loss
The Pirates were already juggling their outfield depth, and now they have another opening to cover after placing rookie Esmerlyn Valdez on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Pittsburgh recalled Ronny Simon from Triple-A Indianapolis to fill the roster spot, but the more immediate effect is on the alignment behind him, where Valdez had been providing a real offensive boost even while working through some growing pains.
Manager Don Kelly said Jake Mangum is expected to see more time in the outfield, a familiar sort of assignment for a player who has already stepped in for injured teammates this season. For a club trying to keep its lineup steady through another setback, Mangums ability to plug holes again could end up mattering as much as any single bat in the short term. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan O'Hearn Just Raised The Stakes For Pittsburgh's Fading Playoff Push
Ryan OHearns return gave the Pirates exactly the kind of jolt a fading September push needs. Back in the lineup after a right quad strain, he made his first start since the injury count in a hurry, launching a three-run homer against the Cubs on Sept. 12 and reminding everyone why he has mattered so much to this offense this season. His career-high power has been one of the brighter notes for Pittsburgh, especially in a year when every run seems to carry a little extra weight.
The problem, as the Pirates know too well, is that one swing was not enough to change the shape of the night. Pittsburgh still wound up losing after the Cubs broke through with runs in the eighth inning, leaving OHearns return as both a lift and a missed opportunity. For a club trying to stay relevant in the wild-card race, it was the kind of game that sharpened the stakes without easing them. [Read more 🡒]