PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pirates invited a couple of pitchers who could be a part of their rotation of the future when training camp is scheduled to open in Bradenton, Florida in a couple of weeks.
Quinn Priester
First round pick in 2019, the right-hander only pitched in 9 games due to COVID wiping out all of the minor-leagues in 2020. He's still the Bucs fourth-best prospect overall and 58th best overall prospect in the game according to Baseball America.
Known for having a great curveball and fastball that can reach 97 mph, the 6'3", 195 pound Priester did pitch in the Pirates alternate training site in 2020. So Bucs baseball ops evaluators were able to see more of that they have.
Just 20, Priester threw 36.2 innings at Rookie Ball and Low A in 2019 with a 3.19 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 14 walks, 5 hit batters and 8 wild pitches. So obviously, some work to be done on his control.
Cody Bolton
Another interesting right-handed prospect, 6'3" as well and picked in the sixth round of the 2017 draft out of high school in Virginia.
Bolton moved up to High A to start 2019 and excelled. He started 12 games, only once did he give up more than two runs and allowed one home run in 61.2 innings. His ERA was 1.61, WHIP 0.859, struck out 69 and walked 14.
In late June the now 22-year-old was moved up to AA-Altoona. He struggled early allowing 12 runs in his first 14.1 innings, steadied the ship for a few outings before allowing five runs each in two of his last three starts. Overall, Bolton had a 5.85 ERA with 6 homers allowed in 40 innings.
The Bucs fifth-best pitching prospect has an average fastball with a good delivery and mound presence. He also spent 2020 at the alternate training site.
A couple of other newcomers to watch.
Shea Spitzbarth is a righty who the Bucs got from the Angels in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. The 26-year-old struggled through much of the last few years in the minors, but in AA-Tulsa in 2019, pitched in 32 games in relief with a 2.05 ERA, striking out 60 and walking 14 in 44 innings. He has an average fastball with movement and can take 20 miles off his curveball and nearly that much off his changeup.
Jandel Gustave signed as a free agent with the Pirates in September of 2020 upon his release by the Giants. Gustave is right-handed, 6'3", 220 pounds and pitched 20 games in two seasons with the Astros in 2016-17 with a respectable 4-plus ERA. Last year with San Francisco pitched in 23 games, 24.1 innings with a 2.96 ERA, 9 walks and 14 strikeouts with one homer allowed. So not a powerful arm, but good numbers with the Giants in relief.
