Morning Rundown: Paul Skenes to make major league debut on Saturday
Morning Rundown: Paul Skenes to make major league debut on Saturday
Pirates will call up top prospect and former first overall pick
After much speculation, it looks like the Pittsburgh Pirates will call up top prospect Paul Skenes to make his major league debut on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.
The first overall pick in the 2023 draft and the top pitching prospect in baseball has been pitching with the Indianapolis Indians this year, striking out 45 batters in 27.1 innings pitched while putting up an ERA of under one.
This past week was the first time pitching on four days rest, one of the last remaining things you would have wanted to see him do. While he wasn’t nearly as sharp the second time, he still combined to strike out 11 in 10.1 innings while allowing just seven hits and two earned runs.
Baseball America recently updated its top 100 rankings, and Skenes was named the top pitching prospect, and Jared Jones was named the second.
That potentially gives the Pirates one of the best 1-2 punches in all of baseball.
RHP Yeison Martinez assigned to DSL Pirates Black
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Top Exit Velocity
Oneil Cruz - PIT - 109.7 mph - Double
Oneil Cruz - PIT - 109.2 mph - Groundout
Omar Alfonzo - BRD - 109.1 mph - Single
Jack Suwinski - PIT - 107.2 mph - Groundout
Connor Joe - PIT - 106.9 mph - Single
Top Pitch Velocity
Antwone Kelly - BRD - 98.7 mph
Colin Holderman - PIT - 98.6 mph
Colin Holderman - PIT - 98.5 mph
Aroldis Chapman - IND - 98.3 mph
Antwone Kelly - BRD - 97.5 mph
Aroldis Chapman - PIT - 97.5
Most Whiffs
Braxton Ashcraft - ALT - 15
Dominic Perachi - ALT - 10
Antwone Kelly - BRD - 10
Martin Perez - PIT - 9
Cam Alldred - IND - 8
Indianapolis Indians - 3 vs Louisville Bats - 4
Top Hitter - Jake Lamb: 1-5, 2B, RBI
Top Pitcher - Cam Alldred: 5 IP, 4 H, ER, 5 K
Altoona Curve - 3 vs Somerset Patriots - 0
Top Hitter - Tres Gonzalez: 2-3, R, 2 RBI
Top Pitcher - Braxton Ashcraft: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K
Greensboro Grasshoppers - PPD
Bradenton Marauders - 3 vs St. Lucie Mets - 2
Top Hitter - Omar Alfonzo: 2-4, RBI
Top Pitcher - Peyton Stumbo: 2 IP, H, BB, 3 K
There's no lack of power. Triolo is the only player in the lineup without potential 20 HR ability, and you could argue KeBryan as well. Brey, Suwinsky, Taylor, Tellez, Cruz, Bart, and Olivarez, and Cutch all have power. Joe even has a fair amount of pop along with KeBryan even without the HR totals. The fact that they aren't currently delivering it is a function of the teamwide slump, not a lack of power.
Unrelated, but a great article on old Buc, Travis Snider and his post-career work over at The Athletic. It’s aimed towards improving the culture of youth sports. Great stuff.