Pittsburgh Pirates:2016 Draft Pick Cam Vieaux

We have taken a look at the minor league progress of the first five Pittsburgh Pirates Draft picks from 2016. Here we take a look at sixth round pick Cam Vieaux

Cam Vieaux came to the  Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round with the 195th pick overall out of Michigan State. While at Michigan State Vieaux picked up 17 wins and 206 strikeouts, both records for the Spartans. He was selected after his junior year, where he went 7-4 with a 2.28 ERA and 77 strikeouts.

He was a previous pick of the Detroit Tigers, yet elected to return to Michigan State. Vieaux signed with Pittsburgh on June 15, 2016 and received an assignment to the West Virginia Black Bears of the New York-Penn League.

2016

Cam Vieaux made 14 starts for the Black Bears. He went 2-2 with a 3.33 ERA, while pitching in 105.1 innings. The strikeout to walk numbers were good, with 52 batters going back to the dugout against 21 hitters getting a free pass to first. Hitters hit a little bit against him sporting an average of .250 against him.

2017

On April fifth Vieaux received his initial assignment of the season to West Virginia of the South Atlantic League. A couple of days later he was sent to extended spring training. Ultimately from there, he stayed with the Power. At West Virginia Vieaux threw 62.2 innings making 11 starts. He compiled a 2.73 ERA,  2-3 record, and 33 strikeouts while walking 13. The batting average against him dipped a little bit to .272.  This earned him a promotion to Bradenton on June 22.

Now pitching for the Marauders, Vieaux has made seven starts. He has compiled a 3.38 ERA in 42.2 innings pitched, striking out 26 and walking 13. Hitters are now hitting .300 against him and his WHIP is up to 1.50 at Bradenton from 1.18 at West Virginia. While the numbers aren’t horrible they aren’t great, either.

Next: Pirates Embarrassed in Series Opener vs Reds

Cam Vieaux is an intriguing prospect. He is showing a lot and does have a ceiling as a fourth starter. His fast ball sits in the range of 86-92 with a max of 94. A curveball, slider, and change-up complete his four pitch arsenal.  Though the off-speed offerings seem to be average, or inconsistently above average, not really helping Vieaux.

Vieaux is older for a prospect in High A at 23. This gives him a shorter window of time to develop.  Though he hasn’t shown lights out ability, I don’t think he’s out of the mix either.  He just needs a breakout season to get back on the radar of the big club.