Pirates Prospect Watch: Paul Skenes Builds Workload

Pirates’ minor league affiliates went 3-1 on Thursday, powered by excellent pitching performances from Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler: MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 and No. 84 prospects, respectively. Skenes continued his scoreless streak to start the year, striking out eight of the 14 batters he faced and working to a season-high 65 pitches. Chandler allowed two runs in five innings but showed off his plus fastball, hitting triple digits repeatedly on the Bowie Bay Sox’ radar gun.

Despite the excellent starts, Triple-A Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona only managed one-run victories, with their opponents getting into the bullpen and giving them late-inning scares. The Greensboro Grasshoppers won 9-6, aided by a four-hit night from Sammy Siani, while the Bradenton Marauders fell apart at the eleventh hour—and inning—in an 8-4 loss.

Here’s a look at the top performances from Pirates’ prospects on Thursday evening.

Triple-A Indianapolis (9-9)

RHP Paul Skenes

• Game: 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 8 K’s.
• Season: 12.2 IP, 0 ER, 27 K’s.

3B Malcom Nuñez

• Game: 3-for-4 with a double.
• Season: .304/.323/.554 with 5 doubles and 3 home runs in 16 games.

Double-A Altoona (5-6)

RHP Bubba Chandler

• Game: 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 K’s.
• Season: 12.1 IP, 2.92 ERA, 15 K’s in 3 starts.

C Abrahan Gutierrez

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double.
• Season: .314/.351/.371 with 2 doubles in 9 games.

High-A Greensboro (8-4)

LF Sammy Siani

• Game: 4-for-5 with 2 doubles.
• Season: .360/.448/.600 with 3 doubles and a homer in 8 games.

1B Josiah Sightler

• Game: 2-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .167/.333/.306 with 2 doubles and a homer in 11 games.

Single-A Bradenton (2-10)

SS Andrés Alvarez

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double and a walk.
• Season: .375/.444/.675 with 2 doubles in 2 games.

UTIL Garret Forrester

• Game: 2-for-3 with a walk.
• Season: .139/.326/.167 with a double in 11 games.