Francisco Acuna
Francisco Acuna
Position: IF
Height: 5’7”
Weight: 150 lbs
Bats/Throws: R/R
Born: 01/22/2003
Country: Colombia
How Acquired: International Free Agent, 2016
Bonus: $70,000
40-man Roster: No
Rule 5 Eligible: Yes
Minor League Free Agency: 2024
Options Left: 3
Overview
Acuna is a small shortstop who signed for a modest bonus out of Colombia. Before he ever played in the Pirates’ system, he held his own against older players as a 16-year-old in winter ball in his native country. With the Pirates, Acuna has shown a reasonably good bat at times and has evolved into a lower level utility player.
2017-19
Acuna spent three years at rookie levels. He didn’t hit much in his DSL debut, but he was only 17. He drew a large number of walks — in fact, he was third in the league — and he did very well as a base stealer, going 19-for-22. Playing short exclusively, he committed a dozen errors, which at that age and at that level isn’t a bad total at all. He didn’t hit well the next year, in the GCL, where he played mostly second due to Ji Hwan Bae being at short. In 2019 Acuna went to the Appalachian League and had a very good year, hitting 293/362/431 as the regular shortstop and finishing tied for the league lead in doubles.
2020-23
Following the pandemic season, Acuna served as the utility infielder at Greensboro for the first two months of 2021, then moved down to Bradenton. He drew a lot of walks and showed some doubles power, but overall didn’t hit much at either level. He played mostly short at Greensboro, when Liover Peguero was hurt, and mostly second and third at Bradenton. In 2022, he went to Greensboro and had a good year, batting 271/361/452. Unfortunately, in late August Acuna got hit with a PED suspension.
The suspension kept Acuna out for about the first month of 2023 and the Pirates didn’t assign him anywhere until early June, when he went to Bradenton. He served as a utility infielder there and at Greensboro, mostly the latter. At the higher level, he hit about like he had previous, with a 277/363/412 line. He also got into two games for Indianapolis.
2024
Acuna became a free agent after the 2023 season, but re-signed with the Pirates for 2024. He hardly played, though. He spent time on the development list early in the season, then got hurt in late May and didn’t return. He got into 15 games for Altoona, batting 290/405/387.
Stats
Transactions
July 2, 2016: Signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent.
November 6, 2023: Became a free agent.
December 21, 2023: Signed as a minor league free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates.