Pittsburgh Pirates Minors: Projecting Triple-A Indy’s Roster

Bullpen

This is another area that will hinge on what happens with the MLB roster. But we will start with the locks for the bullpen.

These locks included right-handed pitcher Blake Cederlind and left-handed pitcher Blake Weiman. Cederlind and Weiman are the top two reliever prospects in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Odds are, both Cederlind and Weiman will be members of the Pirate bullpen by the end of the 2020 season.

Another lock is right-handed pitcher Edgar Santana. Santana being optioned to the minors in the team’s latest round of roster moves was a surprise. He was a key cog in the Pirate bullpen in 2017 and 2018 before missing 2019 due to Tommy John Surgery. Due to this it appeared he would start the season with the MLB club. He will instead start at Triple-A, but you can all but guarantee that the first time the Pirate bullpen needs reinforcement Santana will be the one who gets the call.

RHPs Geoff Hartlieb and Montana DuRapau will also start the year in the bullpen for Indianapolis. Both pitchers saw MLB time last season, and both could this season as well. Especially Hartlieb, who is a potential breakout candidate for the Pirates this season.

Lefty, and 40-man roster occupant, Sam Howard also appears ticketed for the Triple-A bullpen to start the season. However, Howard is a DFA candidate if/when the Pittsburgh Pirates need to add players to the 40-man roster at the end of any sort of spring training which could change that.

Cody Ponce also seems like a safe bet to start the season in the Tirple-A bullpen. Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for Jordan Lyles last July, Ponce can start or pitch in relief. His best role, however, is as a reliever. He is a pitcher that appears to be a safe bet to make his MLB debut at some point in 2020.

Relief pitchers – Blake Cederlind, Blake Weiman, Cody Ponce, Edgar Santana, Geoff Hartlieb, Montana DuRapau, Sam Howard, Yacksel Rios