PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It will be another year of checking the box scores from the minor leagues. The Pirates aren't close to having a winning team, but here is a look at some of the prospects to keep your eyes on in 2022.
5 minor league players to watch
Oneil Cruz
You could feel the disturbance in the Twitter force when Cruz was sent down a week and a half before Opening Day. The 23-year-old had two of the hardest hit balls in all of Grapefruit League play. He's your closest, dynamic offensive star. Last season, the lefty-hitter batted .310 in 68 games in the minors with 17 home runs and 19 stolen bases. The 6'7", 220-pound Cruz wants to play shortstop, but the Pirates want him to learn outfield in Indy. The Dominican native played only six career games at AAA, hitting five home runs.
Quinn Priester
The Bucs are looking for a future ace and just in looks alone Quinn Priester resembles Gerrit Cole. The 2019 first-round pick started to pitch like him as well at High A Greensboro. The 21-year-old went 7-4 with a 3.04 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 39 walks. A closer look at the numbers, Priester had two games where he gave up five runs each. He made 14 starts where he gave up two runs or less. A big opportunity in his third professional season.
Henry Davis
There is no hiding attention when you are the first overall draft pick in any sport. Especially so when you are part of a rebuilding organization. It was a really good first impression as the Louisville star joined High A Greensboro in late-season 2021 for his first 26 professional at bats. Of his eight hits, six would go for extra bases (2-doubles, triple, 3-home runs). How quickly can he ascend? How well does he work with the pitchers?
Roansy Contreras
If only an injury hadn't slowed him down, Roansy Contreras tries to follow up a torrid start to 2021. Coming over from the Yankees in the Jameson Taillon trade, Contreras struck out 28 to three walks in 17.2 scoreless innings to begin the year in AA. Overall Contreras would go 3-2 with a 2.64 ERA in 13 starts striking out 82 in 58 innings in the minors. The righty ended it with a first game in the majors striking out four in three scoreless innings. The 22-year-old is close and could quickly elevate to the majors at the first sign of issues in the Bucs rotation.
Mason Martin
A 17th round pick in 2017, he was relatively unknown until the left-hand hitting 1B hit 35 HR with 32 doubles and 129 RBI in A-ball in 2019. Martin is only 6' but body-builder strong (father is a body-builder) hitting 29 doubles with 25 HR in AA last season. Bucs hitting coaches are working on cutting down his strikeouts, the 22-year-old whiffed 339 times in the last two seasons. With the Bucs two primary first-basemen on one-year contracts, an opportunity for Martin to become the MLB starter in 2023.
There are several others to keep an eye on:
Matt Fraizer-24-year-old, lefty-hitting OF hit 26-doubles and 23 HR in High A & named Bucs Minor-League Player of the Year.
Travis Swaggerty-24-year-old lefty-hitting CF was 2018 1st round pick coming off a shoulder injury limiting him to 12 games in 2021.
Tahnaj Thomas-Bucs best minor-league fastball. Can the 22-year-old find the control walking 35, hitting five with six wild pitches in 60.2 inn in High A in '21?
Endy Rodriguez-part of the Joe Musgrove trade, once thought as catcher of the future can also play 1B/LF/DH. Switch-hitter in '21 hit.294/25-2B/15-HR/73-RBI.
Nick Gonzales-1st full year as a pro, the right-hand hitting 2B, 2020 1st round pick, hit .302/23-2B/18-HR/.385 OBP.
