Pirates Prospect Update: Nick Yorke, Mike Burrows, Bubba Chandler

Less than a week after making his MLB debut, Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Nick Yorke checked off another milestone with his first Major League home run.

In the fifth inning of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark, Yorke belted a solo homer to left field on the first pitch he saw from reliever Fernando Cruz to extend the Pirates' lead to 2-0.

Yorke, the Pirates' No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, had been tearing it up in Triple-A Indianapolis ever since arriving via trade from the Boston Red Sox at this year's deadline. The Pirates called him up to make his big league debut on Sept. 16 against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he is slashing .273/.304/.409 over his first six games in the majors.

In the field, Yorke has played primarily at second base, but has also made a pair of starts at third base and left field, as the Pirates try different infield strategies in the absence of injured starting third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes.

Pirates pitching prospects Mike Burrows & Bubba Chandler end the Triple-A season on a high note

In the final game of the season for Triple-A Indianapolis, Pirates pitching prospect Mike Burrows tied a career high with 10 strikeouts in a single game.

The right-hander allowed three runs on four hits through five innings, with his 10 punchouts minimizing the damage. Since his return from Tommy John surgery, Burrows has pitched to a 4.06 ERA while striking out 45 and walking 15 over 37 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level.

Burrows is the No. 16 prospect in the Pirates' system, and he was on the cusp of cracking the Major League roster last year before he underwent surgery. He should remain on the Pirates' short list as a rotation depth option for 2025.

Meanwhile, another member of the Triple-A Indianapolis rotation, Bubba Chandler, was named the Pirates' Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America. Chandler, the consensus No. 1 prospect in the Pirates' system, finished his year with a 10-7 record and 3.07 ERA over 26 outings (23 starts).

Chandler wrapped up the season by going 4-0 with a 1.83 ERA in seven starts at the Triple-A level. After rookie phenoms like Paul Skenes and Jared Jones made an immediate impact on the Pirates' Major League rotation in 2024, Chandler figures to be next in line to do so in 2025.

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