Pirates Rookie Making First MLB Start vs. Brewers

The Pirates normally would have had No. 4 starter, left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney, in for the next game after the No. 3 starter, left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter, who started vs. the Texas Rangers at PNC Park on June 22.

Heaney pitched in the first game of the doubleheader vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on June 19, with right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes starting the second game.

The Pirates want Heaney having more than three days of rest and will go with Ashcraft and the bullpen for the series opener vs. the Brewers. Heaney will start the second game of the series on June 24 and Skenes will close out the series on June 25.

Ashcraft joined the Pirates on May 26 for his first stint at the MLB level and made his debut vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field the same day.

He starred in his debut, throwing three scoreless innings of relief in the 5-0 defeat, allowing just two hits and a walk, while posting a strikeout.

Ashcraft didn't allow a run in his first four outings, including allowing just two hits over his next three appearances out of the bullpen.

He earned his first victory in a 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in the series finale on June 6, closing out the final 1.1 innings of work and posting three stirkeouts over 2.0 innings of work vs. the Houston Astros on June 3.

Ashcraft had another excellent outing vs. the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 14, with three fly outs on five pitches in the seventh inning and two strikeouts in the eighth inning.

His most recent appearance came vs. the Rangers on June 20, where he allowed four hits and one earned run, while posting one strikeout over two innings in the 6-2 defeat.

Ashcraft has made seven bullpen appearances for the Pirates, with two earned runs allowed for a 1.54 ERA over 11.2 innings pitched, 10 strikeouts to six walks, a .209 opposing batting average and a 1.29 WHIP.

He has spent most of his time as a professional as a starting pitcher, doing so in 69 of his 71 outings in the minor leagues.

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.