Pittsburgh Pirates Farm Report: Dario Agrazal Shoves, Nick Kingham Shelled, & More

A look at highlights from minor league action in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization on August 14th

For today’s farm report, we will start with Triple-A Indianapolis. Last night the Indians were defeated by the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRaiders by a score of 7-3. Due to rain, the game was shortened to just 5 innings, and all seven RailRaider runs were scored in the bottom of the 5th inning.

Nick Kingham started for the Indians and after cruising through the first 4 innings of the game got shelled in the 5th. Kingham faced nine batters in the 5th inning and failed to record an out before the rains came. When the night was over Kingham had allowed seven runs on 10 hits, he hit a batter, walked a batter, allowed a home run, and recorded a strikeout. Seven of the 10 hits, the hit batter, the walk, and the home run allowed all occurred in the 5th inning.

Offensively, the Indians recorded just four hits. With all three of their runs coming on a Jerrick Suiter home run in the top of the 4th inning. Jason Martin, Kevin Newman, Kevin Kramer, and Max Moroff were all held hitless, while Jose Osuna was 1-for-3.

The best starting pitching performance of the night came from Dario Agrazal at Double-A Altoona. Agrazal held the New Hampshire Fishercats to just seven hits while walking just one in 6 shutout innings of work in a 5-0 Curve victory.

More from Rum Bunter

• Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Stockwatch: Outfielder Tres Gonzalez
• Pittsburgh Pirates Podcast: Rum Bunter Radio Talks Winter Meetings Fallout
• Pittsburgh Pirates: Potential Leadoff Hitters in 2023
• Pittsburgh Pirates: The Rotation is not being Improved
• Pittsburgh Pirates Make Vince Velasquez Signing Official

Many people forget that Agrazal is on the 40-man roster, and he has shown why this season. Powered by his turbo sinker, Agrazal now owns a 2.54 ERA and 3.59 FIP in his 11 starts. He has missed time due to an injury, though.

Cole Tucker, Ke’Bryan Hayes, and Brayn Reynolds all went 1-for-4 with the Curve. Reynolds, who the Pirates acquired in the Andrew McCutchen trade, is putting together a strong season for the Curve. Despite missing time with a hand injury Reynolds owns a .287/.367/.421/.788 slash line, .353 wOBA, and a 118 wRC+ this season.

Will Craig also continued his superb season by collecting three more hits, including his 25th double. Logan Hill also chipped in with a three-run home run.

In the world of Single-A, the Bradenton Marauders lost to the Clearwater Threshers 6-1 while the West Virginia Power had the day off. The Marauders were held to just two hits while starting pitcher Evan Piechota walked three and allowed three runs on seven hits in 5 innings of work.

Angel German, who the Pirates got from the Dodgers in the Tony Watson trade, pitched a scoreless inning of relief. The hard throwing righty wons a healthy 25.6% strikeout rate this season, but his 13.7% walk rate is far too high.

Due to the New York Penn League All-Star Game, the West Virginia Black Bears did not play. However, 2018 first round draft choice Travis Swaggerty participated in the game and was 1-for-2 with a two-run single. 36 games into his professional career Swaggerty owns a .288/.365/.453/.818 slash line, .380 wOBA, and a 139 wRC+.