Arizona Fall League Update: Final takeaways for Pirates players
A final look at how the Pirates players performed in the Arizona Fall League
The 2024 Arizona Fall League wrapped up this weekend, with the Salt River winning the championship. The Scottsdale Scorpions reeled off seven straight wins to make the play-in games, losing to the Salt River Rafters 13-4.
Scottsdale, of course, is the team that the prospects the Pirates sent to Arizona played for, which was nine players total.
The top player was easily Sammy Siani, who finished the regular season fifth in batting average and tied for second in hits. He also had the eight-best OPS.
Here’s a look at all eight players, how they performed, and a takeaway each:
Sammy Siani
Final Numbers: 30-80 (.375/.457/.550) 3 HR, 18 RBI, 21 R, 5 2B, 6/6 SB, 11 BB, 16 K
Takeaway: It was a fantastic fall for Siani, who shined offensively and made some great defensive plays in the outfield. The offensive numbers can get a little skewed by its small sample size and the fact that the league itself is very hitter-friendly, but it was a great run nonetheless for Siani.
The Rule 5 might be a bit of a snoozer this year, but Siani certainly made a case to be protected by the Pirates. Jase Bowen had a strong fall a year ago but was left off, but Siani’s toolset seems more likely to translate going forward.
Kervin Pichardo
Final Numbers: 17-55 (.309/.424/.527), 13 R, 5 2B, 2 3B, HR, 12 RBI, 2/2 SB, 11 BB, 10 K
Takeaway: He’ll want to forget that play-in game where he grounded into a double play and committed two errors, but it was a solid performance for Pichardo overall.
He’s been an interesting player to follow this past year, going back to his time at Altoona. He flashed some power and was versatile defensively but didn’t walk much and struck out too often.
Pichardo just turned 23, but despite his strong fall, I’m not sure it was enough to sway his value one way or another.
Geovanny Planchart
Final Numbers: 10-34 (.294/.432/.500), 5 R, 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 9 BB, 7 K
Takeaway: The fall went like the season for Planchart, who didn’t get much playing time. He flashed some pop in the fall, but you wonder how much of that was due to the environment he was playing in.
It would have been nice to see him take some steps defensively so that at least you could make a case for him to be a depth catcher, but it was a rough fall for him behind the plate.
Termarr Johnson
Final Numbers: 10-40 (.250/.444/.475), 9 R, 2 2B, 2 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 14 BB, 11 K, 3/3 SB
Takeaway: Johnson may have the best strike-zone awareness in minor-league baseball. Maybe that’s a bit hyperbolic, but even if it’s not the case, it may be at some point shortly.
The pitching wasn’t the best, but there were some guys with significantly more experience than Termarr, and there wasn’t a point where he seemed completely overmatched.
I understand the hit he’s taken to his prospect stock, but there’s still potential there for him to make an impact with the bat.
Eddy Yean
Final Numbers: SV, 0-2, 6.75 ERA, 9.1 IP, 13 H, 7 ER, 6 BB, 8 K, 2.04 WHIP, .214 AVG
Takeaway: Most of the numbers put up by the pitching aren’t going to look great, but most played way better than at first glance.
Yean was an excellent example of that. He got better as the fall went on, and I still don’t feel like you protect him from the Rule 5, but he does seem like someone who could pitch in the major league bullpen this year at some point.
The sinker is heavy and reaches the mid-90s, and the slider goes well off that.
Brandan Bidois
Final Numbers: 8.22 ERA, 7.2 IP, 7 H, 7 ER, 9 BB, 14 K, 2.09 WHIP, .241 AVG
Takeaway: Six of those seven runs came in his first outing, during which he recorded just one out. So, the runs stopped, but unfortunately, the walks did not. He fought with his control but did pick up 14 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.
He’s another Rule 5 eligible pitcher you won’t have to worry about getting taken. The stuff is there, but there is still plenty of work to do. Staying on the field will be a big key for him in 2025.
Khristian Curtis
Final Numbers: 1-1, 4.67 ERA, 17.1 IP, 13 H, 9 ER, 8 BB, 16 K, 1.21 WHIP, .206 AVG
Takeaway: Overall, it was a strong fall for Curtis, and basically, it was more confirmation of his status as a sleeper prospect in the system. The stuff has never been in question. The control, which sometimes steams from the surgery he had in college, flared up on him a few times, but overall, you can’t be disappointed with his performance, seeing as he only pitched at Low-A this past season.
The fastball sat in the mid-90s, and he was able to flash multiple other secondary pitches. I still wonder if he’s best suited for the bullpen, but he had a couple of multi-inning outings that were very good.
Derek Diamond
Final Numbers: 2.45 ERA, 11 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 12 K, 0.82 WHIP, .171 AVG
Takeaway: On paper, Diamond had the best fall among the Pirates’ pitchers. He showcased his plus control, throwing strikes and efficiently getting outs.
He’s never been a big strikeout guy in the minors, but he punched out 12 in 11 innings pitched, which feels like it makes him an interesting candidate to shift to the bullpen to see if things play up a little more.
Valentin Linarez
Final Numbers: 1-0, 0.87 ERA, 10.1 IP, 3 H, ER, 8 BB, 11 K, 1.06 WHIP, .086 AVG
Takeaway: Linarez was a sleeper prospect for me going into 2024 and disappointed in Double-A before getting demoted to Greensboro. A good chunk of those walks came in one game, so other than that, Linarez was fantastic.
He was nearly unhittable, and although the fastball didn’t hit the velocity it did during the season, Linarez was still able to get hitters out. An upper-90s fastball with his elite extension will always be interesting, but he’s leaving the fall league with the same questions as he entered it.
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OT, and I’m surprised this hasn’t been in MLBTR, but the Rays’ deal for a new ballpark may be dead. The Pinellas County council has voted against issuing bonds that were necessary to start work, which was supposed to be underway now and isn’t. It appears the council is pissed the Rays chose to play 2025 in the Yankees’ spring training park, which is in Hillsborough County, instead of the Phillies’, which is in Pinellas.
Runners were successful on 83.1% of stolen base attempts in the league, but the Pirates players went 11-for-11 in steals, while Planchart went 1-for-21 in throwing out runners.
Stolen bases involving Pirates: 96.9% success rate
not involving any Pirates: 81.7% success rate