Morning Rundown: Paul Skenes to begin in minors, Dauri Moreta out for a while, Pirates come from behind win

Ben Cherington gave an update on the reigning first overall pick, Dauri Moreta partial update, Pirates win another

Photo Credit: WTM

To what shouldn’t have been a surprise to anyone, Ben Cherington said that Paul Skenes will start the 2024 season in the minors.

The first overall pick in 2023 pitched 6.2 innings to close out last year, finishing in Double-A Altoona. He’s made two appearances this spring, including striking out three batters in two innings on Monday.

Perhaps the most significant adjustment that Skenes will face in the minors will be pitching on less rest. Going from pitching once a week to a five-day schedule will force him into a whole new routine, and he will get to work on that in the minors.

Mark Prior and Stephen Strasburg, two of the most highly touted pitching prospects to come out of the draft, threw just over 50 innings in the minors before getting called up to make their debut. Gerrit Cole played an entire season in the minors before debuting in 2013.

Skenes could follow a similar path as the first two. Despite the news, he will remain in major league camp.

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While we haven’t received confirmation yet on what exactly happened to Dauri Moreta, we know he will be out ‘for a while.’

The right-handed reliever left Sunday’s game in the middle of the inning, with his last fastball reaching just 89 mph.

We know his elbow is the issue, but there are no further details now.

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Top Exit Velocity

1. Oneil Cruz - 115 mph - Home Run

2. Liover Peguero - 104.2 mph - Home Run

3. Ke’Bryan Hayes - 103.7 mph - Groundout

4. Ali Sanchez - 103.2 mph - Single

5. Tsung-Che Cheng - 101.1 mph - Home Run

Pitch Velocity

1. Jared Jones - 101.1 mph

2. Jared Jones - 100.6 mph

3. Jared Jones - 100.2 mph

4. Jared Jones - 99.8 mph

5. Jared Jones - 99.4 mph

Most Whiffs (Whiff%)

1. Brent Honeywell Jr. - 5 (33%)

2. Jose Hernandez - 4 (25%)

3. Bailey Falter - 3 (15.7%)

4. JC Flowers - 1 (33%)

5. Sean Sullivan - 1 (20%)

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Liover Peguero hit a two-run, go-ahead home run at the bottom of the eighth, one of three by the Pirates on the day - Oneil Cruz and Tsung-Che Cheng, the other two.

Jared Jones started and threw two innings, allowing a walk and striking out a hitter, also reaching triple digits with his fastball three times.

Quinn Priester and Bailey Falter pitched two innings, with Jose Hernandez, Brent Honeywell Jr., JC Flowers, and Sean Sullivan all following behind them.

The Pirates play the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday before getting one of their two off days during the Spring. They pick things up on Friday with split-squad games against the Minnesota Twins and Atlanta Braves.

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MLB Pipeline released their top 30 prospects for the Pirates on Tuesday, and to no surprise, Skenes was ranked number one.

Beyond that, some notable placements;

Mitch Jebb - 8

Jack Brannigan - 10

Shalin Polanco - 16

Patrick Reilly - 23

Jesus Castillo - 25

Omar Alfonzo - 29