Cruz dropping jaws again with spring power show
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- It was just another eyebrow-raising, jaw-dropping Monday afternoon in the Grapefruit League for Oneil Cruz, the Pirates' phenom shortstop. Cruz had two monster home runs -- about 822 feet worth, long enough combined to possibly disturb motorists along the busy thoroughfare of U.S. 19 beyond right field
After top 3, who will fill out the Pirates' rotation?
BRADENTON, Fla. -- In just 11 days, the Pirates will travel to Miami for Opening Day. Who knows exactly what that rotation will look like. The only sure bets are veterans Mitch Keller, Marco Gonzales and Martín Pérez. Besides them, it’s been an open, and ongoing, competition.
Skenes among Bucs prospects on All-Spring Breakout Teams
The first-ever Spring Breakout is in the books and if these four days of prospect spotlight showcases mean anything, the future of the game is in very good hands. On Monday, MLB announced the inaugural All-Spring Breakout Team, composed of 30 players across 18 organizations (six teams did not play
1 player from each team making a big impression this spring
As we near the end of Spring Training, and with Opening Day right around the corner, it's time to check in on which players around baseball have made the biggest impression on each club during Cactus League and Grapefruit League play. With the help of all 30 MLB.com beat writers,
Injuries & Moves: Top prospect Skenes reassigned to Minors
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These prospects stood out most in Spring Breakout
As the inaugural Spring Breakout weekend comes to a close, there was no shortage of talent on display. With dozens of Top 100 prospects and nearly two-thirds of the 900 players who make up the team Top 30 prospects lists taking part, each club was well represented … but a
Why Taylor brings extra dimension to Pirates' outfield
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Michael A. Taylor owes a lot of his success as a ball player to Tony Tarasco. Taylor was drafted as a shortstop in 2009, but in his first instructional league, Tarasco, who played eight Major League seasons, worked with him to learn the fundamentals of the outfield,
This prospect is setting lofty goals for pivotal year
This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf’s Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Pirates agree to terms with Gold Glove center fielder Taylor
TAMPA, Fla. -- The Pirates added to their outfield mix Saturday, signing veteran center fielder Michael A. Taylor to a one-year contract. The deal is worth $4 million, sources told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and Alex Stumpf. An American League Gold Glove Award winner with the Royals in 2021, Taylor has
Cherington discusses signing Germán to Minor League deal
BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Pirates’ search for more starting pitching this offseason led them to signing right-hander Domingo Germán to a Minor League deal Friday, giving them a pitcher who has upside on the mound but past issues off the field that the young veteran has acknowledged. Germán was placed
Pumping triple digits, Skenes strikes out Holliday in battle of No. 1 picks
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Round Two of the most anticipated prospect clash of the spring brought another successful showing for Paul Skenes against Jackson Holliday. The first inning of Thursday night’s Spring Breakout exhibition between Orioles and Pirates prospects featured Holliday (MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 overall prospect) stepping into the batter’s
Bucs' pitchers star in Spring Breakout showcase
BRADENTON, Fla. -- As the home clubhouse at LECOM Park started to fill up with Pirates prospects, there was a buzz in the room. These young players have been practicing together in the Minor League Spring Training camp, but tonight, they were teammates. And if Thursday night’s Spring Breakout game
How Henry Davis got his groove back behind the plate
This story was excerpted from Alex Stumpf's Pirates Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
Triple-A affiliate to honor Razor Shines in '24
This is an excerpt from the latest edition of the Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter, bringing Minor League Baseball business and culture news to your inbox each and every Thursday. Check out the full newsletter HERE.
Lamb finally embracing his status as MLB's great nomad
DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Nobody will blame you for losing track of Jake Lamb. Remember Jake Lamb? The slugging, up-and-coming third baseman who was an All-Star for the D-backs in 2017? Lamb was 26 then. He’s 33 now, and he’s played continuously in the intervening years. It’s very possible you’ve seen
Projecting the Pirates' Opening Day roster
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Two weeks from now, we will know who will be making the trip from Bradenton to Miami as part of the Pirates’ Opening Day roster. As we head into the home stretch of Spring Training, let’s do another mid-spring projection of that roster. Catcher (2): Henry Davis,
PNC Park ranked MLB's best ballpark by USA Today
Throughout PNC Park’s history, everyone in the Pirates organization has consistently referred to it as “the best ballpark in America” -- and they’re not shy about it. It’s easy to understand that perspective. Now entering its 24th season, PNC Park remains every bit as breathtaking and pristine as it was
Illness, Braves no match for Anderson's perfect outing
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Sickness has been passing through the Pirates’ clubhouse recently, causing a handful of players to be late scratches due to the illness. Chase Anderson was feeling it a bit before his start Tuesday against the Braves at LECOM Park, but his arm felt good and he wanted
1 under-the-radar Spring Breakout prospect for each club
Spring Breakout begins Thursday with a pair of the showcase event's 16 games set to kick things off. Headlined by the best and brightest prospects in the game, Spring Breakout will feature no shortage of household names: 72 of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects and 575 of the 900 players
Here are the prospects with the best tools in Spring Breakout
Spring Breakout will make for a fun weekend, with 16 games pitting many of the best prospects in one organization against many of the best in another. It's essentially 16 Futures Games at Spring Training sites, featuring 72 of MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects and 575 of the 900 players
Lauer's mentality 'better than it ever has been' entering 2024
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Baseball is a game of failure. Eric Lauer is coming to accept that more. The back of his baseball card tells some of the story. He showed promising signs in 2018 and 2019, but struggled in the abbreviated 2020 season. In 2021 and 2022, he pitched
Ashcraft's journey 'starting to pay off' in impressive camp
BRADENTON, Fla. -- Sunday was not exactly Braxton Ashcraft’s day. He started his inning by surrendering a couple of ground-ball singles before a Termarr Johnson two-out error brought them home, meaning he had to take the loss in a 9-7 Pirates defeat to the Phillies at LECOM Park. Consider that
1 position battle to watch for each team
With the first few rounds of cuts behind us, clubs are getting a clearer picture of what their rosters are going to look like to open the 2024 season. Even so, every team still has at least one key question mark -- a role that remains, for all intents and
10 players having a scorching Spring Training
We aren’t really meant to read into Spring Training stats for a number of reasons. They measure a small sample size when players are trying to warm up after a few months off, and no one really plays preseason exhibition games with results in mind in any sport. Plenty of