Pirates Minor League Affiliates Clinch Postseason Spots

PITTSBURGH — While the Pittsburgh Pirates won't play in the playoffs this season, their minor league affiliates will do so later this month.

Both the Altoona Curve, Double-A, and the Greensboro Grasshoppers, High-A, clinched their spots in their respective postseasons on Sept.7.

The Curve have a 38-25 record in the second half of the season, leading the Eastern League Southwest Division and four games ahead of the Erie Seawolves, the Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers.

Altoona defeated the Richmond Flying Squirrels, the Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, 4-2 at People's Natural Gas Field on Sept. 7.

This made it five of six wins in the series against Richmond, who were fighting Altoona for that second half division title, but now stand seven games back with just six games remaining, giving Altoona the title and their first postseason appearance since 2018.

Erie won the first half Eastern League Southwest Division Title and will battle with Altoona in the final six-game series of the season, which is how Altoona already clinched.

The Curve and the Seawolves face off in a best-of-3 series in the semifinals of the Eastern League, with the Curve hosting the Seawolves on Sept. 16 at Peoples Natural Gas Field, then the Seawolves hosting the Curve at UPMC Park for Game 2 on Sept. 18 and then, if necessary, Game 3 on Sept. 19.

Altoona has some of the Pirates best prospects, including shortstop Konnor Griffin, who MLB Pipeline and Baseball America have as the top ranked prospect, and second baseman Termarr Johnson, who MLB Pipeline ranks sixth best in the Pirates organization.

The Pirates took Griffin with the ninth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Jackson Preparatory School in Jackson, Miss and Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Benjamin Elijah Mays High School in Atlanta.

Altoona also has outfielders in Esmerlyn Valdez (15th overall) and Mitch Jebb (18th overall), catcher Omar Alfonzo (19th overall) and right-handed pitcher Wilber Dotel (28th overall).

The Curve have won four division titles, 2010, 2011, 2017 and 2018, while winning Eastern League Titles in 2010 and 2017.