Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospects mid season innings check

Pirates minor league pitchers are overall seeing a healthy increase in their build up of innings in a season

Photo Credit: WTM

Back in August, I wrote about a handful of Pittsburgh Pirates’ minor league pitchers who were creeping up to (or had already surpassed) the previous season's high inning totals. Later in August, Anthony Murphy wrote about which pitchers were closing in on the century mark, and by the end of the season, ten were able to eclipse 100 IP.

Now that we’re in the midst of the All-Star Break, I thought we’d take a look at where a chunk of the Pirates’ arms sit regarding their previous career high for a season. Some were in pro ball, while others were a combination of collegiate and summer leagues in one calendar year.

The TLDR version is that the Pirates are seeing many of their pitching prospects begin to close in on previous career-high inning totals or have already eclipsed them.

Pittsburgh Pirates:

At the major league level, the two premier names of note are Jared Jones and Paul Skenes. Jones is currently on the injured list, with Ben Cherington noting on 93.7 The Fan that the anticipation is he will return sometime in August or September. He should clear 100.0 IP for the third year in a row but may not come close to surpassing 120.0 IP for a third consecutive season. That is unless they make the playoffs and go on a run.

Then there is the NL All-Star starting pitcher Paul Skenes, who is closing in quickly on his career high of 129.1 innings during his junior season at LSU. He only needs 36.0 innings to surpass it, and the way he is pitching, he should easily clear that.

• Jones, Jared

  • 2023 - 126.1 IP

  • 2024 - 91.0 IP

• Skenes, Paul

  • 2023 - 129.1 IP

  • 2024 - 93.2 IP

Indianapolis Indians:

Triple-A is where things get interesting with Braxton Ashcraft, who has already surpassed his previous career-high season in 2019. It will be interesting to monitor if they are giving him a little extra rest with this being his first full season back or if there is a nagging injury that is starting to pop up as he went on the IL, came off, and almost immediately went back on after a three-inning appearance.

• Ashcraft, Braxton

  • 2019 - 53.0 IP

  • 2024 - 72.0 IP

Altoona Curve:

I’m adding Hunter Barco here, as he will reportedly be with the Double-A squad once games resume. Barco is in a similar situation to Ashcraft, as this is his first full professional season after returning from Tommy John. He threw 83.0 innings his sophomore season with the Florida Gators and needs only 21.0 innings to reach that number.

Bubba Chandler spent time on the Development List, and Thomas Harrington began on the injured list this year. Both have quite a ways to go to reach their career highs set in 2023, but the way both are pitching and throwing 6-7 innings each start, they very well could hit those marks, if not at least break 100 IP again.

Po-Yu Chen has been hot lately and currently leads the minors in innings pitched by 11.0 IP over Patrick Reilly. He only needs another 30 innings pitched to eclipse his 2023 total, which he should clear.

• Barco, Hunter

  • 2021 - 83.0 IP

  • 2024 - 62.0 IP

• Chandler, Bubba

  • 2023 - 111.0 IP

  • 2024 - 63.2 IP

• Chen, Po-Yu

  • 2023 - 119.2 IP

  • 2024 - 90.0 IP

• Harrington, Thomas

  • 2023 - 127.1 IP

  • 2024 - 59.2 IP

Greensboro Grasshoppers

High-A is where things get fun. Patrick Reilly has already surpassed his career high in 2022 with Vanderbilt and summer ball and likely isn’t slowing down any time soon with how well he is pitching.

Wilber Dotel likely needs only two more starts to surpass his inning totals for 2023. Alessandro Ercolani will require a little more time, but he should crack his 2023 numbers.

Derek Diamond and Dominic Perachi began the year as long men out of the bullpen, with Diamond starting the year on the injured list, so they have a little work to do. If neither is promoted soon, that will help their case, as they’ve both been handling High-A relatively easily. Even if they’re promoted, it may only be for them to pitch as swingmen again unless some Altoona arms are moved up as well.

• Diamond, Derek

  • 2023 - 119.2 IP

  • 2024 - 58.0 IP

• Dotel, Wilber

  • 2023 - 78.2 IP

  • 2024 - 71.1 IP

• Ercolani, Alessandro

  • 2023 - 68.2 IP

  • 2024 - 46.2 IP

• Perachi, Dominic

  • 2022 - 96.0 IP

  • 2024 - 67.2 IP

• Reilly, Patrick

  • 2022 - 77.2 IP

  • 2024 - 79.0 IP

Bradenton Marauders

In Low-A, it can be kept pretty simple and sweet, as all three listed below have already surpassed career highs. If we were to include two currently on-the-shelf arms, Michael Kennedy and Antwone Kelly, they both would have reached new career highs before going on the IL.

• Chang, Hung-Leng

  • 2023 - 50.2 IP

  • 2024 - 63.0 IP

• Curtis, Khristian

  • 2023 - 64.0 IP

  • 2024 - 54.0 IP

• Reed, Carlson

  • 2022 - 63.1 IP

  • 2024 - 68.2 IP

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