Camp Notes: Taylor, German Inked; Bucs Keep Swatting; Young Guns Reassigned; Injuries; Pre-Arbs All Signed

Rug-cutting time is right around the corner…

Weekday Games: The week started with a 1-0 loss to the BoSox; Barney Falter has a strong start, but the mainly B-roster Bucs were held to five singles. Oneil Cruz made sure Tuesday’s game wouldn’t be a whitewash, leading off with a homer. The Bucs banged out two more, a Jack Suwinski solo shot and Billy McKinney three-run blast, on the way to a 5-1 win over the Bravos. Chase Anderson was strong in his spring debut. Roansy Contreras had another sloppy day at the office (six walks) on Wednesday as Toronto spanked the Corsairs, 10-3. Cruz went long again. Marco Gonzales tossed five strong frames v the O’s, but Ryan Borucki fare very well in the Bucs 5-2 loss. In the featured Spring Breakout Prospects game, Paul Skenes started the game with a three-pitch strikeout and the vibe continued, with the Pirates pups taking a 3-1 decision over the baby Birds of Baltimore. The Pittsburgh pitchers gave up one hit; the Bucco babes didn’t do a lot better at the dish with five knocks. All six hits were singles while three of the four runners who scored reached base via walks.

Paul Skenes – 2023 Bowman Glass

Weekend Games: The Bucs visited the Yankees on Friday night. Quinn Priester and the boys looked good, taking a 6-2 victory. Jack Suwinski had a three-run jack and Jack Brannigan added a solo shot. Saturday was a split squad twin bill. Motown won the afternoon match at LECOM, 6-4. Mitch Keller was good, Barney Falter wasn’t, Henry Davis had a two-run two-bagger and Dustin Peterson homered. In the evening clash v the Bravos in North Port, Jared Jones continued to make his case in a 4-2 Pittsburgh win. Suwinski and Billy McKinney left the yard. Sunday saw the Buccaneers take an 8-4 decision from Tampa; Nick Gonzales, Matt Gorski and Shawn Ross (the C/3B played at Greensboro last year) banged bombs.

Notes

• CF Michael A. Taylor, 32, agreed to a one-year/$4M contract with the Bucs; he was on the early list of guys who filled the Bucco need of a good-glove center fielder. The signing also makes the outfield, already a competitive spot, just that much more a battleground with Connor Joe, Josh Palacios, Edward Olivares and Billy McKinney all in the mix to join starters Bryan Reynolds and Jack Suwinski.
•  It was a busy Friday – they also inked Domingo German, 31, to a minor league NRI deal for $1.25M with bonuses, plus a 2025 team option for $2.25M, also with bonuses. German has a bad-citizen history; he also threw a perfect game and averaged a strikeout per inning in 2023 for the Yankees, so the Pirates are hoping he can figure out how to straighten up and fly right from a new nest.
• The club sent RHP Braxton Ashcraft to minor league camp on Monday. On Tuesday, they optioned RHP Colin Selby & OF Canaan Smith-Njigba to Indy, IF Tsung-Che Cheng to Altoona, and reassigned 2B Termarr Johnson & IF Jack Brannigan to minor league camp. On Sunday, RHP Paul Skenes joined them.

Termarr had a good spring – 2023 Panini Prizmatic

• 2B/CF Ji Hwan Bae has been out for a few days with a hip injury; it isn’t thought to be serious. Dauri Moreta is lined up to see a doc to determine his elbow diagnosis/treatment (he was moved to the 60-day IL when Taylor was signed), and David Bednar’s lat rehab has advanced to tossing from a mound. Josh Palacios is day-to-day with the flu and no new word on Yasmani Grandal.
• The club announced the signing of its 27 pre-arb players: Ashcraft, Bae, Mike Burrows, Cheng, Roansy Contreras, Oneil Cruz, Henry Davis, Jason Delay, Bailey Falter, Nick Gonzales, Jose Hernandez, Colin Holderman, Carmen Mlodzinski, Moreta, Kyle Nicolas, Luis Ortiz, Johan Oviedo, Josh Palacios, Liover Peguero, Quinn Priester, Endy Rodriguez, Selby, Smith-Njigba, Jack Suwinski, Jaren Triolo, Alika Williams and Jackson Wolf.
• Yep, it is almost showtime; the Pirates Opener is March 28th at 4:10 against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mitch Keller will take on Jesus Luzardo.
• Ex-Bucco and current Yankee ace RHP Gerrit Cole is getting an MRI after complaining of arm tiredness. He’s expected out until May or June, even though surgery has been ruled out in favor of a rest and rehab regimen.
• Once-upon-a-time Pirates reliever (2012-24) Justin Wilson, 36, opted out of his deal with the Dodgers and signed a major league contract with Cincinnati.