Down on the Farm: Double-A Altoona Curve Season Preview
When you hear about General Manager Ben Cherrington's rebuild, most timelines have the Pirates being competitive again right around the 2023 or 2024 seasons. Using that timeline, a lot of the guys that will be a part of the next Pirates playoff team are likely to be starting the year right around the Double-A level. Because of this the 2021 Altoona Curve team should be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the system this season. The starting rotation will be full of guys from the Pirate's top 30 prospect list, and most of the everyday players are guys the team is looking to develop into everyday starters. First-year Manager Miguel Perez, hitting coach David Newhan, and pitching coach Drew Benes will work with these young guys to help them make what many consider to be the hardest jump in Minor League Baseball.
It is a roster full of Top Prospects, and some guys who are trying to make a name for themselves in the Pirates system. Of the current Pirate's Top 30 prospect list, 13 of them are more than likely going to start the year at Double-A Altoona, including three players in the Top 10 list. In 2019, the Altoona Curve finished four in the Eastern League's Western Division, going 69-71, but this year's team features many newcomers who are looking to turn things around in Altoona. While the official rosters haven't been announced yet, there are a lot of exciting players set to come to Altoona, making for some great baseball at PNG Park. Today, we look at the 2021 Altoona Curve as we give you the Curve's season preview before games get underway on May 4th.
An Electric Rotation
Right from the get-go, the first thing that stands out to me about Altoona is their starting rotation. At the top of that rotation should be Pirates' #3 overall pitching prospect, Quinn Priester. Priester got his first taste of Big League action in Spring Training and, after spending last year at the alternate training site, he is primed to make the jump to Double-A ball. Priester has appeared in nine pro games so far and has gone 1-1 with a 3.19 ERA between Rookie Ball and Low-A. However, he did appear in two Spring Training games for the Pirates this season and allowed one run over 1.1 innings, but showed control issues with four walks. That is something he can take with him to the Minor Leagues as he continues to grow and develop on the mound.
Behind Priester, things only get better for the Curve starting pitchers. Other candidates to be in the rotation include RHP Roansy Contreras (#20), LHP Omar Cruz (#24), RHP Max Kranick (#28), and RHP Beau Susler. Three of these players are top prospects, and two were acquired in big trades this off-season. Contreras showed a lot in Spring Training for the Pirates this season, appearing in two games while walking two and striking out five over two innings of work. The five strikeouts are the big number to watch as Contreras brings with him an upper 90s fastball, and a nasty slider to work off of. If he can consistently hit that high heat, he could be a guy on the fast track to a promotion by the end of the season.
Bringing the Power to Altoona
If there is one thing the Altoona Curve lacked in 2019 it was home run power. They had plenty of guys who could rack up extra-base hits, with three players in the 20s in doubles, but their home run leader had just 12 home runs. However, that is about to change as the Curve are about to get one of the most prolific power hitters in the Pirates organization. After spending 2019 in Low-A and getting an invite to Spring Training this season, first baseman Mason Martin is primed to make the jump to Double-A Altoona in 2021. Martin split time between Low-A and High-A in 2019 and led everyone in the Pirates organization with 35 home runs and 129 RBI. 23 of those came with Low-A Greensboro that season and the power continued when he moved to Advanced-A Bradenton as he added 12 home runs in 49 games.
If there is one thing the Pirates truly need it is a pure power threat, and Mason Martin is just that. However, with power also comes the strikeouts, and Martin has definitely had his fair share of those. In 2019, he struck out a career-high 129 times but was able to keep his batting average at a healthy .254. Martin was able to get his first taste of Big League Spring Training in 2021, and after a slow start, he would hit .200 with two walks and 11 strikeouts. Martin's big goal for this season will be to focus on that power while cutting down a little bit on the strikeouts. Martin will take over for last year's home run leader for the Curve, Logan Hill, and looks to be a dominating force in the middle of the Curve lineup as he makes one of the hardest jumps in Minor League Baseball.
A Young Exciting Bullpen
While the starting rotation in Altoona is going to garner a lot of attention from a prospect standpoint, the Curve bullpen has some exciting young arms making their debuts. Guys like Joe Jacques, John O'Reilly, Shea Murray, and Ike Schlabach are all scheduled to make the jump to Double-A, creating some competition out in the bullpen. Of this group, Jacques is the most intriguing and is coming off a great 2019 season. After a rough debut season in 2018, Jacques put it all together across three levels of the Minor Leagues going 4-4 with a 2.58 ERA in 35 appearances spanning 66.1 innings of work. Jacques uses his sidearm motion and can get his fastball into the upper 80s and lower 90s, and uses a sweeping slider as an out pitch. He could be a lefty reliever to watch if he can cut down on his walk numbers.
Another intriguing long man to watch in the bullpen in Altoona is John O'Reilly. When he was drafted in 2018, he was sitting in the 89-90 mph range as a starter. However, since moving to the bullpen, his velocity has ramped up to the mid-90s and he has been dominant. O'Reilly has a career 3.05 ERA but put together the best season of his professional career in 2019, going 2-2 with a 1.46 ERA in 49.1 innings of work. Fellow long-man Ike Schlabach will also be in the mix for the Curve and, like O'Reilly, is coming off a career year. Schlabach spent 2019 with Advanced-A Bradenton and went 4-1 with a 2.50 ERA in 50.1 innings of work. Schlabach is another groundball-type pitcher that tries to generate weak contact to get outs. The Curve bullpen has exciting arms, and they are sure to be a group to watch as the 2021 season gets underway.
The Altoona Curve will open their season against the Bowie Baysox on Thursday, May 4th at 6 pm. The Pittsburgh Pirates (12-11) wrap up their short two-game series with the Kansas City Royals (14-8) tonight at 6:35 pm. Mitch Keller (1-2, 7.16) looks to build off of the momentum from his last start when he goes up against Mike Minor (2-1, 4.64) for the Royals. You can watch the game on AT&T Sportsnet, listen on 93.7 The Fan, or follow along with us on Twitter at @Buccos_Cove.
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