Pittsburgh Pirates: Roansy Contreras Off to a Red Hot Start

After making his first two starts at the Double-A level, Pittsburgh Pirates pitching prospect Roansy Contreras finds himself turning heads around baseball

Baseball America regularly comes out with their ‘Hot Sheet’ where they mention the hottest prospects from the previous week. In the latest edition of the ‘Hot Sheet,’ Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitching prospect Roansy Contreras was included.

Contreras was one of the key pieces the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired in the Jameson Taillon trade. Contreras was listed along with a few other top prospects like DL Hall and Alex Manoah. Seeing a Pirate prospect mentioned by the national media in a report like this has to make fans feel all toasty inside.

Through two starts this season Contreras has yet to allow a run. In his first taste of the Double-A level Contreras has allowed 5 hits, walked 2, struck out 22 in 11 innings pitched. In his most recent start on Tuesday night, Contreras pitched 6  no-hit innings for the Curve. If Contreras can continue to develop his pitches and show that mound presence he has had in his first two starts then we may be talking about a September call up.

Contreras has shown us a fastball that sits around 95-96 and can max out in the upper 90s. He’s flashed a curveball I had no idea could play the way it has and he has an above-average changeup. One very encouraging sign has been his control. Striking people out is sexy, but if you managed to walk, no batters, and strike out double digits, that’s no longer sexy, it’s downright gorgeous.

One would hope in his next start Contreras continues to sparkle like a brand new wedding ring, and the Pirates and Contreras can have a nice long marriage (see what I did there). Contreras will be one of the more intriguing prospect arms to watch as the 2021 season continues.