Pittsburgh Pirates Prospects: Three More Potential 2023 Debuts

Malcol m Nunez

The Pirates recently traded Carlos Santana, which leaves a gap at first base. However, the Pirates could soon fill that gap, both in the present and future. One of their top prospects is first baseman Malcolm Nunez. Nunez was the second player who was included in the Jose Quintana trade and could soon make his big league debut.

Acquired via trade alongside Johan Oviedo last trade deadline for Jose Quintana, Nunez made a great first impression with the Pirates last season, batting .280/.385/.475 with a .378 wOBA, and 134 wRC+ for Altoona and Indianapolis. Nunez had a 22.7% strikeout rate but an impressive 14.7% walk rate and quality .195 isolated slugging percentage. It’s not as if Nunez just caught fire with the Pirates, as he owned a .949 OPS, .409 wOBA, and 136 wRC+ from June up through the trade.

Although Nunez got off to a great start to his Pirates career, that heat didn’t last until April, as he ended the first month of the season batting just a horrendous .188/.231/.259 with a .225 wOBA and 16 wRC+. However, that arctic cold start didn’t last, as he hit .357/.478/.536, owned a .457 wOBA, and 162 wRC+ through June. While this put Nunez on pace to make his Major League debut within the very near future, that would have to be put on hold.

Nunez suffered a shoulder impingement that would keep him out for nearly two whole months. Nunez has only recently returned and is still getting stretched back out. But the layoff hasn’t seemed to affect his performance. While Nunez has only played in four rehab games and has 16 plate appearances, he also has five walks (two doubles), six walks, and zero strikeouts.

Nunez has a relatively high offensive ceiling. He has plus raw power and has never been too prone to striking out. Plus, he’s consistently been good at drawing walks. Nunez struggled to lift the ball as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals’ system but made some adjustments once he was sent to Pittsburgh. Although Nunez was primarily a third baseman for the first handful of years of his pro career, Nunez has seen time at first base much more frequently in 2022 and 2023. He has sharpened up his defensive prowess to his credit, and he has an arm that could play at third base. But it might only be enough to be an average defensive first baseman rather than someone who could regularly play third base.

Nunez would also have to overcome Ke’Bryan Hayes and Jared Triolo to get regular reps at the hot corner long-term. Hayes is arguably the best defensive third baseman in the league, and Triolo was the Pirates’ best defensive minor league infielder prior to his promotion. If Hayes didn’t exist, Triolo might be competing for the National League third base Gold Glove.

Regardless, Nunez is on pace to make his Major League debut sometime in August. The Pirates will have a hole in the first base depth chart, even if they do end up keeping Ji-Man Choi. Nunez certainly has a chance at cementing himself as the Pirates’ long-term first baseman, and his chance to do so could start within the coming weeks.

Anthony Solometo

The Pirates drafted Anthony Solometo in the second round of the 2021 draft with high hopes he could become a long-term and highly effective member of their Major League pitching staff. While Solometo was a second-rounder, he was an over-slot second-rounder. Many had him going to a team in the second half of the first round. But teams passed on him because he was a high schooler, and he fell to the Pirates with the 37th overall selection.

Solometo’s first chance at facing professional batters went swimmingly. In 47.2 innings at Bradenton in 2022, Solometo owned a 2.64 ERA, 2.83 FIP, and 1.05 WHIP. Solometo didn’t allow a single home run and struck out 27.1% of opponents. He walked a surprising amount of batters, handing out a free pass at a 10.1% rate, but it was the only blemish on an otherwise excellent start to his pro career.

Despite pitching just under 50 frames at A-Ball, the Pirates let Solometo try and tackle High-A opponents, which he did with flying colors. In 58.2 innings, the Southpaw pitched to a 2.30 ERA, 3.15 FIP, and 1.16 WHIP. He upped his strikeout rate to 29.1% and allowed just two home runs. Again, his walk rate was a tad high at 10.7%, but this was more than good enough for the Bucs to give Solometo the promotion to Double-A.

Double-A is where you typically start to see the real talent get separated from the minor leaguers. So far, Double-A has not given Solometo any challenge. He currently has a 3.14 ERA, 3.04 FIP, and 1.08 WHIP. Solometo has finally cut his walk rate down, sitting at just 5.7%, but he’s maintained a strong 28.7% strikeout rate. His 0.98 HR/9 is a slight uptick from Greensboro, but it’s still a more than manageable rate. He’s 50/50 in allowing a home run vs not allowing a home run in his six starts for Altoona.

While Solometo was never going to develop into an Aroldis Chapman, he’s gained velocity since the Pirates drafted him. He’s now sitting 92-95 MPH, which is significantly more than in 2021 when he was averaging out at 87-91 MPH fresh out of high school. Solometo also throws a pretty good slider, as well as a quality changeup. However, everything plays up because of his elite command and his delivery, which adds deception.

Solometo is probably the longest shot of any of the Pirates prospects I’ve discussed so far. However, I do see him making a late-season debut, ala Roansy Contreras in 2021 and Luis Ortiz in 2022. I wouldn’t rule out the chance the Pirates give him the nod for 1-3 starts in September, just to see what he can do at the Major League level. Solometo has ace potential and could start showing that late this year.

Braxton Ashcraft

Fans didn’t know what to expect from Braxton Ashcraft heading into the 2023 season. A former second-round pick, Ashcraft had basically missed three seasons. He didn’t pitch in 2020 because the minor league season was canceled; he only threw 38.2 innings in 2021 but then underwent Tommy John surgery, which not only eliminated him from the rest of ‘21 but the entirety of 2022 as well. But regardless of the unknown expectations, Ashcraft has put any questions about his ability aside with a strong 2023 season.

In 43.2 innings, Ashcraft owns a 2.70 ERA, 2.85 FIP, and 1.11 WHIP. While Ashcraft’s 30% strikeout rate is strong, his 4.7% walk rate is even better. Ashcraft is among the best in K:BB ratio, sitting at 6.33. Among all minor leaguers with at least 40 frames this year, Ashcraft has the 9th highest K:BB rate. It also helps that he has a quality 0.77 HR/9.

Ashcraft wasn’t known as a hard-throwing pitcher prior to 2023. According to FanGraphs’ write-up on him prior to the 2021 season, the last year he threw a pitch, he was sitting 91-94 MPH. However, Ashcraft, in his most recent start for Atloona, was sitting 96-97 MPH and topped out at 98. He pairs that now plus fastball with an average curveball and slider. He does throw a change-up, but it’s a rarely used offering for him.

What role Ashcraft plays long-term for the Pirates is up for debate. The Pirates have yet to give him an extended look, and none of his starts have lasted more than four innings. He could be a reliever; he could be a starting pitcher. Regardless of what role the Pirates put Ashcraft in for the long haul, he should be a fun prospect to watch. His return has been an extremely welcoming surprise and could add yet another quality pitcher to the major league depth chart down the stretch.