Help Coming From Indianapolis

As disappointing as August has been at the major league level for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the performance of the hitters in their minor league system has been equally unsatisfactory. The Bucs' elite offensive prospects, such as Termarr Johnson, Mitch Jebb, and Lonnie White Jr., are all having less-than-stellar campaigns. Still, thanks to the trade strategy of Pittsburgh general manager Ben Cherington aimed at strengthening the offensive prowess not only of the Pirates but also within the minors, a couple of prospects in Indianapolis have a chance of making the big leagues before the season comes to a close.

First, Billy Cook joined the team on July 30th from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for right-handed pitcher Patrick Reilly. Reilly, a fifth-round pick by Pittsburgh in 2023, was ranked 44th in Draft Nation’s preseason book, the “2024 Pittsburgh Pirates Minor League Guide,” and was poised for a significant improvement in his rating for our upcoming 2025 guide. He was 5-4 at Greensboro—a team that plays in a hitter-friendly stadium—with a 3.38 ERA, allowing only 61 hits in 88 innings pitched. So, the cost to acquire Cook was steep.

Cook is currently ranked as the team's 24th prospect on the MLB Pipeline list but is having his finest minor league offensive campaign, especially at the AAA level. He hit .279 with an impressive .856 OPS at Norfolk in 262 at-bats before coming over to the Indians. He has not struggled during his time with Indianapolis, where he is off to a great start, raising his batting average and OPS to .323 and .943, respectively.

Cook has spent most of his professional career in the outfield, playing both left and right field for Indianapolis, but he has also spent time at first base, which could be an opportunity for him at the major league level, especially with the team likely looking for a replacement for Rowdy Tellez in 2025.

Cook has shown power potential in the minors but has had issues with strikeouts. He had a 31.8% strikeout rate in 2022 but showed improvement over the last two seasons, lowering it to 25% in 2023 and 21.8% since joining the Bucs' system.

Another trade that could benefit Pittsburgh was made with the Boston Red Sox, bringing Nick Yorke into the system in exchange for former stud prospect Quinn Priester. Draft Nation ranked Priester as 6th before the season started, but he was not as dominant at the AAA level as he had been earlier in his minor league career. In his brief time in the majors, he showed potential at times but struggled for the most part with the Pirates. A change of scenery was likely beneficial for him.

Yorke seems to have a higher pedigree than Cook and is currently ranked 6th among MLB Pipeline’s top 30 Pittsburgh prospects. He does not have a strong arm, which will likely keep him at second base or in the outfield, but with Oneil Cruz’s reported move to center field, there may be a chance for Yorke to stick at second in the majors.

A first-round pick by Boston in 2020, Nick Yorke has 20-home-run potential and good hitting skills, though he currently seems susceptible to off-speed pitches. Starting the year with the Portland Sea Dogs in AA, the Newport Beach, California native has been more effective at AAA, hitting .310 with an .898 OPS for Worcester. Like Cook, he has improved since joining the Indians, raising his average to .370 and his OPS to .904.

While the Bucs' hitters have struggled throughout the organization, the pitchers have excelled. They have already promoted Draft Nation’s 2024 #1 and #4 prospects, Paul Skenes and Jared Jones, both of whom have had incredible rookie campaigns. Skenes is even one of the favorites to become the second Pirate to capture the National League Rookie of the Year award, with Jason Bay being the first. Two others at Indianapolis could soon join the starting rotation.

The current #1 prospect in the system is Bubba Chandler, who has been almost unhittable since joining the Indians. Possessing the best fastball in the system, the former Clemson football recruit has a 1.50 ERA in three AAA starts with 23 strikeouts in 18 innings. Ranked #3 in Draft Nation’s 2024 guide, Chandler was initially a potential two-way player when entering the organization, but since turning professional, his pitching talent has far outweighed his hitting prowess, so his future is on the mound. He had issues with control early in his career, with walk rates north of four per nine innings, but has since improved, settling in the mid-twos.

Tom Harrington is another Indianapolis hurler who could soon be part of a very effective Pirate rotation. Draft Nation’s twelfth overall prospect before the season and currently ranked fifth on MLB Pipeline’s list, Harrington has had a wonderful season with the Curve and Indians in 2024. He was dominant with the Curve, posting a 2.24 ERA in 13 games and a sparkling 0.995 WHIP. He has continued his fine year in AAA, with a 0.729 WHIP in four starts with Indianapolis. He has shown great control this season, with just 1.3 walks per nine innings, and possesses a great sweeping slider and a fastball that reaches 95 MPH.

Another pitcher at Indy who could also make some noise is the current #4 prospect, Braxton Ashcroft. Ashcroft returned from Tommy John surgery last season and has been spectacular since. He posted a 2.39 ERA last season and was effective at Altoona before being promoted. Since joining the Indians, he has been almost unhittable, with a 0.49 ERA in four games and a 0.98 WHIP. The #95 overall MLB prospect is unfortunately out with forearm soreness but is hoping to return to AAA soon.

Indianapolis has improved drastically over the past month, and it may provide the Pirates with some much-needed help soon.