Pirates Prospect Watch: Six Shutout Frames For Paul Skenes

Pirates’ minor league affiliates managed three wins on Tuesday night, headlined by 2023 first overall pick Paul Skenes pitching a quality start for the first time this season as his innings continue to climb.

Triple-A Indianapolis worked a walk-off win over the Buffalo Bison, with Skenes out dueling Alek Manoah, who finished third in the American League Cy Young voting in 2022, in the process. Skenes mowed through six innings on just 75 pitches and, although Carmen Mlodzinski blew the save to send the game to extra innings, Yasmani Grandal was able to call game with a walk-off single in the tenth.

The Altoona Curve fell 3-2 to the Harrisburg Senators. Bubba Chandler bounced back with a solid start after getting chased in the first inning last week, but Altoona’s bats couldn’t muster any offense beyond Tsung-Che Cheng’s two-run homer. High-A Greensboro hit five home runs, including a pair from Charles McAdoo, drubbing the Winston-Salem Dash 9-2. 

The Bradenton Marauders continued the homer party, hitting three to down the Fort Myers Might Mussels 7-3.

Here’s a look at the top performing Pirates prospects to begin the week.

Triple-A Indianapolis (13-12)

RHP Paul Skenes

• Game: 6 IP, 0 ER, 7 K’s.
• Season: 23 IP, 0.39 ERA, 41 K’s in 6 starts.

INF Nick Gonzales

• Game: 1-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .379/.433/.611 with 11 doubles, a triple and 3 homers in 23 games.

Double-A Altoona (5-16)

RHP Bubba Chandler

• Game: 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 K’s.
• Season: 17.1 IP, 3.63 ERA, 20 K’s in 5 starts.

RHP Justin Meis

• Game: 2.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 K’s.
• Season: 13.2 IP, 5.93 ERA, 16 K’s in 6 appearances.

High-A Greensboro (13-8)

RF Charles McAdoo

• Game: 3-for-5 with 2 homers, a triple and a walk.
• Season: .303/.397/.545 with 2 doubles, a triple and 4 homers in 19 games.

CF Sammy Siani

• Game: 2-for-4 with a homer.
• Season: .309/.381/.527 with 3 doubles and 3 homers in 16 games.

Single-A Bradenton (5-17)

3B Garret Forrester

• Game: 3-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .270/.418/.381 with 4 doubles and a homer in 19 games.

2B Kalae Harrison

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .167/.375/.667 with a homer in 2 games.