From the Backfields: Pirates Face Rays in Upper-Level Minor League Exhibitions

Edward Florentino and Wyatt Sanford both see action.

Mar 19, 2025

I got out to Pirate City on Tuesday to see the Pirates in minor league exhibition action against the Rays. The schedule said it’d be the lower-level players, but instead, it was technically an AAA and an AA game. I say “technically” because most of the guys who’ll be at Indianapolis in April are still with the Pirates (although a bunch got reassigned later in the day). So there were probably a lot of players in each game who’ll probably open at lower levels.

Both games, at least on the Pirates’ end, were heavy with players who’ve stalled out, mostly at Altoona. The big exception was in the AA game, where Edward Florentino and Wyatt Sanford played. So, naturally, I spent most of my time watching that game.

There wasn’t much offense in the AA game, but oddly enough, Florentino and Sanford had about half the team’s hits. Florentino hit a bloop single his first time up, flew out his second, and then lined a two-run single past short. At 18, he did not look at all overmatched against what was probably AA and high A-level pitching. He didn’t chase, he took some close pitches for balls and he didn’t swing and miss much.

Sanford struck out twice and looped a double down the left-field line. The first strikeout was called, after he’d taken a couple of close pitches for balls. He was doing well working the count, so it was hard to fault him a lot. The other was swinging. Sanford started the game as DH but later replaced Jack Brannigan at short.

He was there long enough to make one very good play, going into the hole and making a jump throw to get a force at second. He got the ball there quickly and accurately enough that it nearly became a double play on a grounder that didn’t look like it had any chance of turning two.

Alessandro Ercolani started the AA game and turned in two strong innings. He walked one and gave up an infield hit while striking out either two or three. He was able to throw his fastball up effectively, including one strikeout, and his slider looked good as he threw it for strikes most of the time and also got hitters to chase it away.

Greiber Mendez, a smallish righty who only made it to Bradenton late in 2024, followed with two very quick innings. He seems to work in and out, helped by a fastball with some arm-side run.

Last year’s 18th-round pick, Jake Shirk, also had a pair of quick innings. He’s not a hard thrower and was heavy on breaking and offspeed stuff.

Omar Alfonzo started the AA game behind the plate. Whether this means he could open the season at Altoona, I don’t know. He went hitless with a couple of fairly long fly balls.

Mike Burrows started the AAA game. I wasn’t really watching that one, but he got through four innings without much trouble. Jaden Woods, Magdiel Cotto, and Fineas Del Bonta-Smith also pitched in that game.

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