Pittsburgh Pirates: There Will be Minor League Baseball

With the lockout in place, the Pittsburgh Pirates are not going to be starting on time.  However, the minor league season is on track to start.

There is a lot up in the air for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the rest of Major League Baseball.  The game is currently at its lowest point since 1994.  The owners have locked out the MLBPA and negotiations have not gone well.  While there seems like there has been some progress it is now ensured that Major League Spring Training will be delayed.

The good news for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans, there will still be relevant Baseball regardless of the lockout.  Because the minor league players are not a part of the MLBPA they will still be reporting to Spring Training on time.  It is unlikely that anything will change regarding the minor league season.

This is good news for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans.  Over the last few years, we have heard a lot about the minor league system.  We have put a lot of faith into the team’s new Front Office and the direction they are taking the team.  This minor league season coming into focus should be viewed in an important light.

The overall rebuild is toward the tail end of the process.  Ben Cherington has spent the bulk of his tenure with the Pittsburgh Pirates stripping down the big league team to rebuild the farm system.  There are not many veterans left on the roster to move and the team is starting to see more and more of their prospects push into the Big Leagues.

On top of that, it will be interesting to watch how Ben Cherington’s 2021 Draft class performs in their first full season.  Obviously, the #1 overall pick Henry Davis will be under a microscope, but the class as a whole should be watched.  Draft picks like Bubba Chandler, Anthony Solometo, Lonnie White Jr, need to be followed. This is the Draft class that should and will define if Ben Cherington’s plan is successful over the long haul.

Typically the Super Bowl ends and people look forward to Spring Training.  That is not the case this year.  As of now, there is no real idea when the start of Spring Training could even be due to the lockout.  However, for Pittsburgh Pirates fans there is a lot to pay attention to going forward in the minor leagues. With prospects still reporting for Spring Training on time, there is at least some important Baseball that will take place.