Pirates Recall Alex Presley

The Pirates have recalled outfielder Alex Presley from AAA Indianapolis and have optioned outfielder Gorkys Hernandez to their AAA Indianapolis affiliate.

Presley, 26, began the season with the Pirates and was their Opening Day starter in left field.  He hit .220 (26-for-118) with two homers and seven RBI in 34 big league games before being optioned to Indianapolis on May 16.

It was baffling to watch Presley struggle.  He was slapping the ball and not putting the barrel to the baseball as he had last season when he hit well for numerous periods of the season.

In 18 AAA games, Presley found that stroke.  He mashed collecting 18 hits with seven of those going for extra bases—two doubles, three triples, five home runs, 14 RBI and 14 runs scored.  He had a .303 average (10-for-33), four homers and 10 RBI over his last ten games.

Hernandez, 24, was recalled from Indy on May 18 and made his Major League debut on May 21.  He singled off Chicago’s Michael Bowden and knocked in two runs on May 27 for his first career hit and RBI.  Hernandez, who hit .266 (33-for-124) with five doubles, two home runs and 14 RBI in 38 Triple-A games, went 2-for-10 with two RBI in nine games with the Pirates.

Hernandez played exceptional defense as was advertised by some scouts and Neal Huntington who called him the best defender in the Pirates system.