Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Four Curve Players Pushing for a Promotion

Starting pitcher Roansy Contreras

We’ll start with an obvious one. Starting pitcher Roansy Contreras has been talked about more this season than any other player on the Curve roster. Prior to this season Contreras had never pitched above the High-A level, but through his first 7 starts he has dominated Double-A hitters.

In his 7 starts Contreras owns a 2.03 ERA and a 2.17 FIP in 40 innings pitched. He’s walked just 5.8% of batters faced to go with a healthy 37% strikeout rate. He has allowed just 2 home runs and has limited opposing batters to a .160 batting average.

Outside of one poor start Contreras has been almost un-hittable for the Curve. In his fourth start of the season Contreras allowed 5 earned runs in 4 innings pitched. Outside of this start he has allowed just 4 earned runs.

Contreras threw 6 no-hit innings in his just his second start of the season, and therefor his second start at the Double-A level. In 4 of his 7 starts he has allowed 0 runs, he also has a start in which he allowed just 1 run. No matter how you cut it Contreras has been dominant.

Contreras is doing all of this at just 21-years-old. While Contreras was not viewed as the big piece of the Jameson Taillon trade, and all four players the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired have performed well this season, Contreras may prove to be the prized jewel of a trade that is looking like a highway robbery by Ben Cherington.

Shortstop Oneil Cruz

There are few hitters in the Pirate farm system with a higher ceiling than Oneil Cruz. The lefty slugger, however, also has a pretty high bust potential. That said, his performance thus far this season at Double-A has helped to put a lot of those fears to rest.

Through his first 150 PAs this season Cruz has hit for a .292/.349/.562 slash line to go with a 145 wRC+. Cruz’s power potential has been on full display with a strong .270 ISO, 8 home runs and an extra base hit rate of 12%.

Another encouraging sign from Cruz has been his strikeout rate. While his 23.2% strikeout rate is higher than you would like to see, it is his lowest strikeout rate since he was at Low-A in 2018. One of the big knocks on Cruz has always been his swing-and-miss potential but he has improved that this season.

The big knock on Cruz this season has been his defense. There have long been questions about rather or not he can stick at shortstop. So far this season he has already committed 10 errors, leading to Noah wondering if it’s time to move Cruz to the outfield. Regardless of Cruz’s defense, if he continues to rake anywhere near the way he has at Double-A this season he’ll have a bright future ahead of him.

Cruz, like Contreras, could be knocking on the door of the Majors by the end of the season if he gets to Triple-A sooner rather than later. Even if that does not happen, again, like Contreras, Cruz should be in line to join the Major League roster early in the 2022 season.

First baseman Mason Martin

Out of the four players on this list first baseman Mason Martin is the one who likely still needs the most time at the Double-A level. The 22-year-old slugger has hit for a .244/.317/.504 slash line to go with a 119 wRC+ through his first 145 PAs this season.

Big power has always been the story for Martin, as evident by his .260 ISO thus far. He has hit 7 home runs and is recording extra base hits at an 11.7% rate. That said, there continues to be big questions about Martin’s contact and hit tool.

Martin is striking out at a 35.2% clip thus far in 2021. In his professional career he now has a 31.2% strikeout rate. Obviously, this mark is far too high, as well as being borderline alarming. Due to needing to improve his hit tool and cut down on the strikeouts is what could keep Martin at Double-A longer than the other three players on this list.

With no other true first base prospects on the horizon Martin remains the likely Pirate first baseman of the future. That future, however, will hinge on him being able to cut down on the strikeouts while also making more contact. That said, the power Martin has flashed is what has Martin pushing for a promotion to Triple-A.

Utility man Rodolfo Castro

Unlike the other players on this list, utility man Rodolfo Castro has played above the Double-A level before. In fact, for those who remember, Castro made his MLB debut with the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this season. While Castro went 0-for-3 in his first MLB stint, he continues to have a bright future ahead for himself in the Majors.

In 158 PAs with the Curve this season Castro has hit for a .303/.348/.542 slash line to go with a 136 wRC+. The switch-hitter has flashed his power potential with a .239 ISO, 8 home runs and an extra base hit rate of 10.8%.

Castro also adds value with his defensive ability. He can play third base, shortstop, second base and the outfield. The Pittsburgh Pirates likely have big long-term plans for Castro. He could be a starter for the club, as well as one of the best utility men in the National League the way Josh Harrison was. The big difference is Castro has a lot more power potential in his game than Harrison ever did.

Although Castro has made his MLB debut he has yet to play at the Triple-A level. This could, and quite honestly should, soon. Honestly, it would be a surprise if Castro does not make his way back to the Majors before the end of the 2021 season.