Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Strong Season Debuts From Anthony Solometo & Thomas Harrington

Anthony Solometo and Thomas Harrington each pitched well in their 2023 season debut and more from Friday night's Pittsburgh Pirates minor league action

Minor league baseball is now in full swing. Friday night, the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers and Low-A Bradenton Marauders kicked off their 2023 seasons. With this, each of the Pittsburgh Pirates four minor league affiliates have their seasons underway.

The Triple-A Indianapolis Indians defeated the Louisville Bats 5-3 on Friday night. Following their third consecutive victory, the Indians are now 3-4 on the season.

Travis Swaggerty started in center field while batting lead off for Indy and went 1-for-5 with his 3rd double of the season and a run scored. This continued Swaggerty's strong start to the season. Speaking of strong starts to the season, Tucupita Marcano was 3-for-5 with three runs scored. All three of Marcano's hits were doubles, already giving him six on the season.

Endy Rodriguez was behind the dish. Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with a walk, run scored, and a RBI. Nick Gonzales started at third base and went 0-for-3 with two walks, Miguel Andújar was 1-for-5 with a RBI, and Chris Owings was 2-for-4 with a double.

Veteran lefty Caleb Smith started and had a strong bounce back outing after struggling in his first start of the season. Smith allowed 2 runs on four hits, two walks, and two strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched. Daniel Zamora recorded the final out of the 5th inning.

Lefty J.C. Flowers allowed two hits in a scoreless 6th inning. Carmen Mlodzinski ptiched 1.1 innings, allowing a run on a hit, three walks, and no strikeouts. John O'Reilly, who is off to a strong start this season, finished things off with two strikeouts in 1.2 scoreless innings pitched.

Pitching struggles again for the Curve

Friday night the Double-A Altoona Curve fell to 0-2 on the season. For a second night in a row, the Curve pitching staff struggled in a 7-2 loss against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Struggles on offense hurt the Curve as well.

Local product Justin Meis started for Altoona. In 3 innings pitched, Meis allowed 3 runs, 1 earned, on four hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. Meis was also hurt by a fielding error by second baseman Drew Maggi, who had a poor night going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in addition to his error.

Travis MacGregor followed Meis, and allowed 2 runs on five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts in 2.1 innings pitched. Noe Toribio pitched 1.2 hitless innings of relief with three strikeouts, but allowed 2 runs thanks to a pair of walks and a wild pitch.

MLB veteran Juan Minaya pitched the final 2 innings of the night for the Curve. Minaya allowed two hits, walked a batter, and struck out a pair in 2 scoreless innings pitched.

For a second night in a row it was a poor offensive night for the Curve. Right fielder Josh Palacios was 2-for-5 with a run scored at the top of the lineup, but the rest of the lineup collected just three hits. Shortstop Liover Peguero was 1-for-5 with a run scored and Andres Alvarez was 2-for-3 with a pair of walks.

Connor Scott and Henry Davis were both 0-for-4, although Davis did draw a walk, and Mason Martin was 0-for-2 with three walks.

Late inning pitching woes sink High-A Greensboro

The High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers kicked their season off on Friday night by traveling to Fishkill, New York, to battled the Hudson Valley Renegades. Thanks in large part to late inning pitching woes, teh Grasshoppers were defeated by the Renegades 8-1 to start their season 0-1.

Highly touted lefty Anthony Solometo started for the Grasshoppers and pitched well in his season debut. In 4 innings pitched he allowed a solo home run, a single, he walked a batter, and struck out five.

Few Pirate prospects, pitchers or position players, will be ore intriguing to watch in 2023 than Solometo. The young lefty has the tools and stuff needed to be a top of the rotation starting pitcher one day. Watching what Solometo can do against hitters who are older than him at High-A this season will be fun to watch.

Will Kobos followed Solometo, walking a pair while recording a strikeout in a scoreless, hitless innings pitched. Mitchell Miller was next up, but retired just one of the five batters he faced. Miller allowed a hit, walked three, and was charged with 2 runs.

Santiago Florez followed Miller and also struggled. Florez allowed 2 runs on a hit, two walks, and two strikeouts in 1.2 innings pitched. Things then went completely off the rails when Grant Ford allowed 3 runs on two hits, a hit batter, and a walk in the 8th inning.