Notes: Game Snips, Bucco Moves & News, Ex-Bucs In The News

Grapefruit Season…

Pirates Stuff:

• The Pirates reassigned prospects LHP Anthony Solometo, IF Termarr Johnson, IF Jack Brannigan and IF/OF Konnor Griffin to minor league camp.
• The Marlins claimed RHP Brett de Geus off the wires from the Pirates. He was waived to clear a roster spot for newcomer Andrew Heaney.
• Oneil Cruz is on track to be the eighth different player to open the season in CF for the Pirates; Starling Marte was the last repeater in 2017-18. (Thx to Theo DeRosa of MLB.com).

Hunter Stratton – 2024 Topps Rookie

• MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf tweeted that RHP Hunter Stratton threw a live BP on Tuesday, the first time he’s faced hitters since knee surgery in August. 
• MLB.com picked every team’s dark horse candidate to break camp. For Pittsburgh, the article named RHP Mike Burrows, citing his ability to slide into the rotation, join the bullpen or work as needed as a staff swingman.

Games:

• Paul Skenes’ spring opener v the Phils at Clearwater was rained out; he instead got a 45-pitch live BP session in Bradenton. 
• The Braves dropped the Bucs, 2-1, on Tuesday. Jared Jones started and put up two zeroes. He debuted a new pitch, a sinker, during the outing. 
• Wednesday was a split-squad day and keeping with the theme, the Pirates split. They beat the Orioles, 7-3, at home and lost to the Braves at North Port, 9-4. Matt Gorski homered and Henry Davis banged a pair of two-baggers in Bradenton while Bailey Falter tossed a pair of strong frames. Jack Suwinski had two hits and went long in the loss against the Bravos.
• At Fort Meyers in Thursday’s game v the Twins, the Bucs rock ‘n’ rolled to a 12-1 win, Suwinski stayed hot with two more hits and three RBI..
• Next up were the Rays at LECOM Park, and Kell gave the Pirates three shutout frames, setting the tone for a 3-2 dub. Bryan Reynolds had two hits while Tampa could only push home two tallies despite collecting 11 hits and four walks.

Mitch Keller – 2025 Topps

• Skenes had the honors on Saturday v the Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota. He debuted a cutter& sinker, tossing three innings with a run yielded/four K’s in a 5-2 Bucco win. The Bucs hit four bombs, one by Oneil Cruz, who also laid out for a full-tilt grab in center. Top pick Konnor Griffin, red-hot Nick Solak and newcomer Emmanuel Valdez also launched cannonballs while Gorski and DJ Stewart stayed hot. RHP Tanner Rainey, a FA signee late of the Nats, has put together three scoreless frames this spring w/five strikeouts and zero walks.
• The Tigers stopped at Bradenton and  left with a 10-4 win. The pitching wasn’t as poor as the numbers indicate, tho – Tim Mayza and Chase Shugart gave up eight tallies while managing to get just three outs between them. Jared Jones expanded his arsenal, and gave up a run in 2-2/3 frames with four fans. Big Hank, Endy Rodriguez and Darick Hall bopped balls into the stands for Pittsburgh.

Other Stuff:

• Harold Ramirez, who was a Pirates prospect back in 2016 when he was dealt to Toronto, put together a six-year, four-team MLB resume since then. He hit .285 over that span, but as a corner OF’er without much power, wasn’t much in demand and skipped to the Mexican League.
• Often-injured RHP Nick Burdi, 32, who was a Buc from 2018-20, got another chance when the Red Sox signed him to a straight minor-league contract.
• The comebacker that caught ol’ Bucco JT Brubaker last week broke three of his ribs. A timetable for his return to the Yankees is TBD.