PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The Pirates have signed a third of their 2021 draft class a week after making the first pick. All players reporting to Bradenton to get varying degrees of work.
How is Pirates GM Ben Cherington's first draft class doing in a first professional season?
1st round pick SS Nick Gonzales
· Gonzales started off hot at High-A Greensboro, a double in his first professional at bat after homering in a Pirates Spring Training game.
· He had hits in 8 of his first 9 games, batting .382 during that stretch with 8 extra base hits
· The 22-year-old shortstop suffered a right shoulder injury and missed from May 20 until June 26
· After a two-hit game in his return, the average dipped to .214 last week.
· Gonzales is 7 for his last 12, bumping the average at .248 with 8 doubles, 5 HR, 14 RBI in 129 at bats with 47 strikeouts to 12 walks
1st round competitive balance pick RHP Carmen Mlodzinski
· The 6'2", 232 pounder has only one start with High-A Greensboro where he's given up more than 3 runs, that was 5 over 6 innings on July 3.
· The 22-year-old started off 1-1 with a 0.84 ERA in his first 5 starts with 7 walks to 31 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. The WHIP at 0.94 and opponents' batting average at .173
· On the season, the righty is 2-2 with a 2.63 ERA in 9 games in 41 innings, 14 walks, 54 strikeouts, 1.00 WHIP, .185 opponents' batting average
· Currently on the 7-day injured list
2nd round pick RHP Jared Jones
· There was talk about whether Jones, 6'1", 180 pounds, should be a position player or pitcher, they committed to pitcher in 2021 at Low-A Bradenton
· After a couple of relief appearances, made his first start on June 5 and overall the 19-year-old is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 9 games with 6 starts, 30 innings, 13 walks, 50 strikeouts and a 1.50 WHIP
· His ERA in July is three times what it was in June, allowing 16 hits (2 HR) in 11.1 innings with 5 walks and 17 strikeouts in 11.1 innings, the WHIP 1.85
3rd round pick, RHP Nick Garcia
· The 22-year-old began the season as a reliever and now has started 5 straight games.
· In those starts, 17.1 innings, 17 hits, 7 earned runs, 8 walks, 18 strikeouts
· In his last 2 starts, 10 innings, 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 hit batters, 3 walks, 11 strikeouts
4th round pick, RHP Jack Hartman
· Had Tommy John surgery in the 2020 off-season and expected to miss the entire 2021 season
5th round pick RHP Logan Hofmann
· The Canadian from Northwestern State had a great May and June and has struggled a bit in July—overall 3-2, 2.76 ERA with 42.1 innings, 4 HR, 17 BB and 57 K
· In May the 21-year-old, 1-0, 2.03 ERA in 13.1 innings with 6 walks and 21 strikeouts
· In June, 2-1, 1.72 ERA with a couple of starts with 15.2 innings pitched, 3 runs, 6 walks, 20 strikeouts
