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4 Pittsburgh Pirates prospects who are having unlucky (but promising) seasons

Getting unlucky can happen quite often in baseball, but that shouldn't decrease a prospect's value.

ByNoah Wright|
May 24, 2022; Hoover, AL, USA; Jaden Woods pitches for the Bulldogs as Alabama faced Georgia in game one of the SEC Tournament at Hoover Met. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News Ncaa Baseball Sec Baseball Tournament Alabama Crimson Tide At Georgia Bulldogs
May 24, 2022; Hoover, AL, USA; Jaden Woods pitches for the Bulldogs as Alabama faced Georgia in game one of the SEC Tournament at Hoover Met. Mandatory Credit: Gary Cosby Jr.-The Tuscaloosa News Ncaa Baseball Sec Baseball Tournament Alabama Crimson Tide At Georgia Bulldogs | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Antwone Kelly

Antwone Kelly was an international signee in the 2020-2021 offseason by the Bucs. He displayed some talent at the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League in his first three pro seasons. The 20-year-old right-hander opened the 2024 season at A-Ball Bradenton for his first extended look. There have been some bumps in the road, but Kelly could definitely get better through the natural bounce back of better luck.

Kelly's numbers on the year include a 3.90 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and 1.27 WHIP. He has struck out 23% of opponents faced, sporting a 10.2% walk rate and 1.01 HR/9. Kelly has a grounder rate of 45.9%, along with a sub-20% line drive rate. Aside from his home run rate, Kelly has been about a league-average pitcher in the Florida State League, but there is definitely more in the tank for him.

Kelly already holds opposing hitters to a .224 batting average, but his .199 xBA and 86.5 MPH exit velo indicate he could give up fewer hits if things were to normalize. There is also a fairly large gap between his opponents' .371 slugging percentage and the .300 xSLG% he's induced. His 5.2% barrel rate is above average, which should help him allow fewer home runs moving forward.

Kelly sits around 94 MPH with his four-seam fastball, but tops out in the upper-90s. He'll also throw a two-seam variant with more horizontal action, but roughly the same velo. His mid-80s changeup is where he gets most of his swings and misses, with a whiff rate of over 35%. Kelly's upper-80s cutter and lower-80s slider round out his pitch mix.

Kelly is an underrated arm in the Pirates' system. He has some velo on his offerings and a decent pitch variety. So far this year, he's shown some promise. Next year will only be his age-21 campaign, and he should open the year at Greensboro, given his numbers at Bradenton this season.

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