PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pirates optioned and reassigned 15 players on Tuesday. They include three first round picks.
A day after pitching in his first spring training game, 2019 First round pick, righty Quinn Priester reassigned to minor-league camp. Also send down 2018 first rounder, centerfielder Travis Swaggerty. He went 2 for 13 with 3 runs scored and a RBI. Infielder Nick Gonzales, the 2020 first round pick, sent down after getting six at bats without a hit.
21-year-old, switch-hitting infielder Rodolfo Castro optioned down Tuesday despite homers in consecutive games over the weekend. Castro had only 3 hits in 19 at bats but scored 4 runs and drove in 6.
Intriguing shortstop Oneil Cruz (1 for 20 this spring), pitchers Roansy Contreras (1 win, 1 inning, a walk and two strikeouts), Max Kranick (2 earned in 2 innings) and Nick Mears (6-IP, 3-ER, 5-BB, 4-K) optioned down.
Others reassigned to Pirate City—pitchers Cody Bolton and Jandel Gustave, catcher Jason Delay, infielders Mason Martin and Liover Peguero, outfielders Cal Mitchell and Canaan Smith-Njigba.
There are currently 56 active players in camp with a couple of weeks to go.
