PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – This year is so much about the future than it even is about the Major League team. The closest minor league team you can watch is in Altoona. Here is a look at some impact players with the 2021 AA Curve.
RHP Cody Bolton
The 22-year-old sixth round pick out of high school, Bolton was 6-3 with a 1.61 ERA in high A in 2019. He was then promoted to AA where he was good in about every other start, ending with a 5.85 ERA in 9 games. The 10th ranked player in the Pirates system, he pitched in the alt site in 2020. Bolton can get the fastball to 97 mph.
RHP Roansy Contreras
Came over in the Jameson Taillon trade and can also get the fastball to 97 mph. The righty isn’t big, 6’, 175 pounds, but is just 21 and was 12-5 with a 3.33 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP throwing 132.1 innings in A ball in 2019.
RHP Yerry De Los Santos
Not on the Pirates top 30 prospect list, however the righty reliever excelled in A ball in 2019. He was 4-2 with a 1.44 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, with 13 saves striking out 73 to 12 walks in 50 innings.
SS Ji-wan Bae
A lefty-hitter with a plus glove, Bae is quick out of the box with 25 doubles, 5 triples and a .323 average in A ball in 2019. Bae, 6’1” 185 pounds, also stole 31 bases and the Bucs have looked at him closely for a couple of years in Spring Training.
SS Oneil Cruz
The key piece of the Tony Watson trade a few years ago, Cruz is a 6’7”, lefty-hitting shortstop makes you turn your head during batting practice with the sound off the bat. Cruz played in only 73 games due to a foot injury in 2019 combining to hit .298 with 15 doubles, 8 HR, 34 RBI, .475 slugging. A big year for Cruz with a number of infielders in A ball.
1B Mason Martin
A 17th round pick out of high school 4 years ago, the left-hand hitting Martin exploded in 2019 hitting 35 HR, 32 doubles and 129 RBI. A first baseman, Martin hit .254 with a .351 on-base percentage despite 168 strikeouts. The 6’, 220 pound Martin jumped into the top 15 of Pirates prospects and is just 21-years-old.
OF Canaan Smith-Njigba
A fourth round pick of the Yankees in 2017, lefty-hitting Smith-Njigba had a good eye with a .405 on-base percentage in A ball in 2019. Overall hitting .307 with 32 doubles, 11 HR, 74 RBI, .871 slugging percentage in 124 games. While ‘only’ 6’, he’s 240 pounds and may have just started to tap into his power. He was also part of the Jameson Taillon trade.
Wild Card
OF Cal Mitchell
He just turned 22 and is a former Pirates second round pick, the 6’, 205 pounder played in high A Bradenton in 2019-leading the team with 64 RBI and second with 15 homers. He was also second with 21 doubles with a .251 average, but did strike out 142 times in 118 games.