Pirates Pitcher Excels in First Career Start

Ashcraft joined the Pirates for the first time on May 26, assuming a bullpen role for a team that needed a long reliever.

He had made 69 starts in 71 appearances in the minor leagues, but took on a spot in the bullpen, as he finally got his chance in the big leagues.

Ashcraft made seven appearances out of the bullpen, including just three days prior on June 20 vs. the Texas Rangers at PNC Park, where he threw 40 pitches over two innings.

He got his first MLB start after the Pirates had a doubleheader vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 19, with both left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney and right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes starting that day.

Heaney would've only had three days of rest inbetween starts if he pitched in this game, so the Pirates moved him and Skenes up a day, allowing Ashcraft that chance to prove himself.

Ashcraft wanted more than just three innings, but it still served as a part of his long journey to the MLB and enjoyed the outing.

“It was good," Ashcraft said. "You know it’s just part of it. Coming up and being in the ‘pen and filling that role and then getting the opportunity that I’ve wanted for a long time to start a game and help our rotation out. It’s cool to do it and it’s cool to go out and buy myself an extra inning, but yeah, just being able to go out, cover three scoreless [innings], it’s fun.”

Pirates manager Don Kelly said that Ashcraft's great performance played a big role in the win and earned him that third inning, but no further, even with his "outstanding" pitching.

“Man, in his first start in the big leagues, on the road, the poise, the command, the attack and he had two days off going into this one," Kelly said. "40 pitches, two innings the other day, two days off and comes out and throws the ball like that in his first start, it was really impressive.”

Ashcraft is now down to a 1.23 ERA over eight appearances and 14.2 innings pitched, with 12 strikeouts to six walks allowed, a .189 opposing batting average and a 1.09 WHIP.

The Pirates took Aschraft with the 51st pick in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Robinson High School in Waco, Texas. He signed a $1.825 million bonus, forgoing his commitment to Baylor.

MLB pipeline ranks Ashcraft as the number seven prospect in the Pirates system, the third ranked right-handed pitcher behind Bubba Chandler at number one and Thomas Harrington at number three, and the fourth ranked pitcher, behind left-hander Hunter Barco at number five.