Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Another AFL Home Run for Nick Gonzales & More

BRADENTON, FLORIDA - MARCH 16: Nick Gonzales #75 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: Nick Gonzales #75 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)

In Monday’s Arizona Fall League action Pittsburgh Pirates infield prospect Nick Gonzales hit his third home run of the AFL season in a Surprise Saguaros loss

Thus far, the Arizona Fall League has saw two former first round picks of the Pittsburgh Pirates producing at the plate. On Monday, the success for these two former top picks continued despite the Surprise Saguaros falling to the Peoria Javelinas 2-1 to fall to 11-7 on the season.

Nick Gonzales started at second base for the Saguaros and continued to be one of their top offensive performers. The 7th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft went just 1-for-4, but the hit was a solo home run. This was the 3rd home run of the AFL season for Gonzales and accounted for the lone Saguaros run in the game.

Catcher Henry Davis, the no. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, has also been one of the best hitters for the Saguaros thus far. Davis started behind the plate on Monday going 1-for-3 with a stolen base. He now owns a .989 OPS in 44 plate appearances in the AFL thus far.

Davis was not the only Pittsburgh Pirates catching prospect to play for the Saguaros in the loss. Blake Sabol served as the team’s designated hitter on Monday. Sabol was 0-for-3 with a walk, he now owns an OPS of .690 in 32 PAs.

A pair of Pirate pitching prospects toed the rubber for the Saguaros in Monday’s loss. One of the two was lefty Omar Cruz. Cruz allowed a run on three hits, no walks and a strikeout in his lone inning pitched. Cruz has now allowed just 2 earned runs in 9.2 AFL innings pitched.

Righty Colin Selby pitched the 8th inning for the Saguaros. Selby retired all three batters face while recording a strikeout. He now owns a 3.00 ERA and seven strikeouts in 6 innings pitched in the AFL.

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