Morning Rundown: Nick Gonzales hits for cycle in Indianapolis
The former first round pick has been on a tear lately
Nick Gonzales was the first draft pick of the Ben Cherington era with the Pittsburgh Pirates. One of the top hitting prospects available, it’s been a slow, level by level approach, for him to reach the majors, but he finally made his debut in 2023.
He struggled to make contact, especially against non-fastballs - posting a 35.2% strikeout rate - and posting nearly a 50% whiff rate when facing both breaking and off speed pitches.
Since being sent back to Triple-A in August, Gonzales has been on a tear, showing some of that upside that got him drafted so high. He posted an .854 OPS in August, with a .918 mark this month.
Tuesday started the final week of the Triple-A schedule and he began things off with a bang, hitting for the cycle against Rochester.
It was part of 19-run, 21-hit offensive explosion for the Indianapolis Indians that saw three players pick up at least four hits and four RBI, Gonzales one of them.
Ryan Vilade led the way with five hits, with Gonzales and Canaan Smith-Njigba picking up four of their own.
Kyle Nicolas struggles in debut
Acquired in the Jacob Stallings trade, Kyle Nicolas really turned on things as of late after making the switch to the bullpen, earning himself a promotion to the majors to make his debut.
It did not go well.
By time it was all said and done he had allowed three hits, two walks, as well as a hits batter - all of which turned into six earned runs - and did so while recording just one out.
Control has always been the biggest question mark with Nicolas, and why he made the eventual switch to the bullpen.
Indianapolis Indians - 19 vs Rochester Red Wings - 1
Top Hitter - Nick Gonzales: 4-5, 4 R, 5 RBI, 2B, 3B, HR (13)
Top Pitcher - Max Kranick: 3 IP, H, ER, 3 K
Remember a decade-plus ago when the Brewers just routinely embarrassed the Pirates? Feels like the Cubs have taken over that role now.
Endy is clearly gassed and it's been a super, super bummer to watch Liover give back every shred of offensive development he seemed to make over the last year.
I've not been a fan of this YOLO style of rebuild player dev in which they just throw half-baked prospects to the wolves for two main reasons.
One, the modern history of the game inarguably shows that banal, patient advancement of players through an org is perfectly capable of building championship ballclubs. There's no problem to solve here.
And two, this method is completely untenable the minute this club has the audacity to start trying to actually win baseball games. You don't win a pennant with this kind of roster construction and the entire reason for shit-canning the last front office was their inability to extend a small window of contention. Even if the Pirates were successfully developing players this way - and they very clearly aren't - there's no way to both do that AND extend the window of the "core" with which you just succeeded.
What I *didn't* expect, tho, was the demoralization of repeated joy seeing a hot prospect promoted followed by the crushing reality of getting their teeth kicked in most nights. To me, as a fan, I'd much rather go back to watching big leaguers play big league games and prospects play in the minors where they belong.