Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Bubba Chandler, Anthony Solometo Pitch & More

Double-A Altoona ties a big 1st inning to a victory

Friday night saw the Altoona Curve get back over .500 on the season. Following a 4-2 victory over the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates are now 43-42 on the season.

Jared Triolo drew a walk to start the bottom of the 1st inning. Blake Sabol would then hit a one-out, two-run home run. Sabol’s 11th home run of the season made the score 2-0 Curve. The lead would then quickly grow to 3-0 when Aaron Shackelford hit a solo home run, 14th of the season. This gave the Curve a 3-0 1st inning lead, a lead they would ride to victory.

Shackelford added a solo home run in the 3rd inning, giving him 15 on the season. This was part of Shackelford going 3-for-3 with a walk. Triolo finished the game 1-for-3 with a pair of walks, Andres Alvarez and Matt Fraizer each had a hit as well.

Luis Ortiz started for the Curve and turned in a strong start. In 4 scoreless innings pitched Ortiz allowed just three hits, did not walk a batter and struck out six. Nick Dombkowski pitched 4 innings allowing a pair of solo home runs, but they were the lone runs he allowed while also striking out six. Tyler Samaniego then picked up his 7th save with the Curve, issuing a walk and picking up a strikeout in a scoreless 9th inning.

8th inning rally carries Greensboro to victory

The High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers scored a pair of runs in the 8th inning on their way to a 2-1 victory over the Brooklyn Cyclones on Friday night. With the win, the Grasshoppers improved to 36-47 on the season.

Jared Jones started for the Grasshoppers and flashed his great stuff. In 6 innings pitched Jones allowed a run on two hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. If Jones can learn to locate his stuff with consistency, he has all the tools needed to be a top tier pitching prospect.

Wandi Montout pitched a scoreless 7th inning while allowing a hit. Eddy Yean walked a batter and struck out a pair in a scoreless 8th inning pitched. Cam Junker allowed a hit and struck a batter out in a scoreless 9th inning as he picked up his 7th save of the season.

With the Grasshoppers trialing 1-0, third baseman Eli Wilson was hit by a pitch to start the 8th inning. After Hudson Head reached on a fielder’s choice, shortstop Francisco Acuna launched a two-run home run. His 2nd home run of the season gave the Grasshoppers a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish.

Abrahan Gutierrez started at first base and went 1-for-4, designated hitter Dariel Lopez was also 1-for-4. Catcher Endy Rodriguez was 0-for-3 with a walk and second baseman Yoyner Fajardo was the only other base runner of the night for the Grasshoppers going 1-for-4 at the top of the lineup.

Two highly touted members of the Pittsburgh Pirates 2021 draft class pitch for Bradenton

After being rained out on Thursday night the Low-A Bradenton Marauders were scheduled to play a doubleheader on Friday. While inclement weather led to game two of the doubleheader not being played, game one saw a pair of notable pitching performance.

Bubba Chandler started for the Marauders, making his Low-A pitching debut. Chandler hit the first batter he faced and then allowed a two-run home run. However, he flashed his great stuff with his power fastball sitting in the high 90s. Overall, Chandler allowed 4 runs on fort hits, three walks, a home run, a hit batter, and four strikeouts in 4 innings pitched.

Anthony Solometo would pitch the final 4 innings of the game for the Marauders. Soloemto was perfect in his 4 innings of work, striking out six batters in the process. The 19-year-old lefty now owns a 3.26 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched for the Marauders this season.

Both Chandler and Solometo were selected in last summer’s draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Solometo could quickly rise ot become not just one of the best pitching prospects in the organization, but one of the best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball. Chandler, who served as Bradenton’s designated hitter in his Low-A debut Tuesday night, has the potential to be one of the most special prospects both in the Pirate system and in baseball due to his two-way ability.

Despite the excitement of Chandler and Solometo pitching, the Marauders lost to the Jupiter Hammerheads 4-3 on Friday to fall back under .500 on the season at 41-42. Shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng was 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot, while two-hole hitter Jase Bowen and number three hitter Deivis Nadal were both 0-for-3.

Rodolfo Nolasco remained red hot for the Marauders. Nolasco was 2-for-4 with his 14th double and 11th home run of the season. First baseman Jaun Jerez was 1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI. Right fielder Jasiah Dixon also had a hit.