Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Busy Night in the AFL

BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Quinn Priester #61 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for a picture during the 2022 Photo Day at LECOM Park on March 16, 2022 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Quinn Priester #61 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for a picture during the 2022 Photo Day at LECOM Park on March 16, 2022 in Bradenton, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Led by a starting pitching performance from Quinn Priester, it was a busy night in the Arizona Fall League for Pittsburgh Pirates prospects

Friday night’s Arizona Fall League action saw the Surprise Saguaros defeat the Glendale Desert Dogs. The Saguaros got help form five Pittsburgh Pirates prospects as they knocked off the Desert Dogs to improve to 10-5.

Quinn Priester started for the Saguaros. The 2019 first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitched 2 innings, allowing an unearned run on a hit, a walk and two strikeouts. Priester now owns a 4.80 ERA to go with six walks and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched in the AFL.

In addition to Priester, Tahnaj Thomas also pitched for the Saguaros on Friday. Thomas pitched the 7th and final inning of the game, walking a batter and striking a batter out while positing a zero. In 5.2 AFL innings pitched the righty has now struck out seven batters.

A tiro of Pittsburgh Pirates prospects were in the starting lineup for the Saguaros. This included catcher Henry Davis. Davis was 2-for-3 with his 1st home run in the AFL, he was hit by a pitch, and he scored two runs scored.

The no. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft now has 37 PAs in the AFL. Davis has posted a 1.074 OPS while batting .308 in these 36 PAs. Look for Davis to join the Pittsburgh Pirates at some point in 2023.

Catcher/utility man Blake Sabol started in left field for the Saguaros. Sabol was 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. He now owns a .748 OPS in 27 PAs during the AFL season.

Surprise started Jacob Gonzalez at first base on Friday. Gonzalez went 1-for-3 with a RBI. This came after he hit a solo home run in his last start for his first hit of the AFL season. Hopefully, Gonzalez will get going at the plate and finish the AFL season strong.

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