Buccos Cove

After the Pirates traded Adam Frazier, Manager Derek Shelton has said the will be several different players getting opportunities. Rodolfo Castro is the first to get a chance and is using the long ball to his advantage. After Sunday's trade of Adam Frazier, the Pittsburgh Pirates had some big shoes to fill at second base. When asked about who would get the opportunity, Manager Derek Shelton said that several different players would get a shot there, with the first being Rodolfo Castro. Castro was called up immediately following the trade for his third trip to the Major League club. The first time, he went 0-1, but he followed it up with a great showing his second time around, hitting .272 with three home runs and four RBI in six games played. However, this time was different as he would be given a shot as the full-time starter at second base. It was do or die as Castro was trying to make his case to stay in the Big Leagues full-time. After going 0-3 in his first start a...

After the Pittsburgh Pirates traded second baseman Adam Frazier yesterday, it has left a hole at second base this season. We look at who might get the call and a chance to play every day in Pittsburgh for the rest of the season. After much anticipation throughout the season, the Adam Frazier trade finally happened as the Pirates sent their All-Star second baseman to the San Diego Padres. In return, they got a package of prospects that are all 22 years of age or younger, and look to make an impact on the future of this team. However, in the present, it is a blow to the team as they lose their leadoff hitter and a Gold Glove-caliber second baseman. However, when you are in a rebuild, you have to be able to let go of good players for the good of stocking the farm system, and General Manager Ben Cherington has stuck to this plan. In the short term, the Pirates will be giving opportunities to some of their younger guys to give them a shot to lay claim to second base for the rest...

Last night, Rodolfo Castro got his first Big League hit last night, a solo home run to right field. He is in his second stint with the Pirates already in 2021, but this time will he stat or will he be sent back to the Minor Leagues again? Just before the Pittsburgh Pirates headed to New York for this four-game series with the Mets, they had to make a series of roster moves. Both Phillip Evans and Erik Gonzalez had to go to the injured list, and the Pirates needed some reinforcements on the Big League club. They ended up going with a pair of players who have already had one stint each in Pittsburgh while bolstering their infield depth. The first was shortstop Cole Tucker from Triple-A Indianapolis, who had been up in parts of the last three seasons with the Pirates. However, the other move was sort of a surprise as the Pirates dipped further down their system and recalled Rodolfo Castro from Double-A Altoona. It was a promotion that was well deserved for the middle infielder...

In an effort to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, the Pittsburgh Pirates moved second baseman Rodolfo Castro to the 40-man roster this Off-season. Castro has a combination of speed and power that makes him a potential threat down the line. During the off-season, the Pittsburgh Pirates protected two of their players from the 2020-2021 Rule 5 Draft. The first was Max Kranick, and the second was a power-hitting second baseman poised to make the jump to Double-A in 2021. That guy is 21-year-old Rodolfo Castro, who is showing that he could be one of the next true power threats in the Pirates system. He has increased his home run total every season while staying consistent in terms of batting average. He is primed to make a jump to Double-A Altoona in 2021, and he helped his case by getting the chance to work out in front of Altoona Curve coaches last season. 2019 was his best year of professional baseball to date, as he split time between Class Low-A Greensboro and Advanced-A B...

The 2020 Rule 5 Draft is scheduled to take place on December 10th, 2020, as part of the Winter Meetings and the Pirates have some interesting prospects eligible. We will break down all the Rule 5 players and whether or not the Pirates should worry about losing them or not. When you are looking at a middle infield prospect, one of the traits that normally doesn't come to mind is power hitter. Usually, they are good defensively and can hit for average, but power is a rare feat for a second baseman or shortstop because of how much work they have to put in on their defense. However, Rodolfo Castro is a different kind of middle infielder who is showing that he can be a five-tool player in the lower levels of the Minor Leagues. Castro has had double-digit home runs in each of the last three seasons and has kept his average in the mid .200s. Castro got his first taste of the upper levels of the Minor Leagues last season and is looking to make that jump in 2021. However, if the...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have been bitten hard by the injury bug this season and might have lost two key players in Sunday's finale with the Milwaukee Brewers. We take a look at who down in Altoona could be called upon to take their places. Injuries happen in baseball, but the Pirates have been hit especially hard by the injury bug. They already had 10 regulars on the injured list and might have lost two more to injury on Sunday. Colin Moran was involved in a collision at first base on the very first play of the game but continued to play until being pulled in the third inning with concussion-like symptoms. One inning later, Kevin Newman started grimacing after striking out swinging and he had to leave the game. It caused a whole lot of shuffling in the Pirates lineup as Jose Osuna moved from right field to first base, Cole Tucker came in to play right field, Erik Gonzalez moved from third base to first base, and JT Riddle came in to play third base.  It was a lot of switching around...

As we await the start of the 2020 MLB season due to Corona Virus concerns, we will take a look at every player on the Pirates roster and outline what they will bring to the table and projections for the 2020 season. I hope this brings some positive reading to the current situation and helps us all as we wait for baseball. The 2020 season will be unlike any other in MLB history due to the current Coronavirus pandemic. While teams will be adjusting to all the new changes, it offers a unique opportunity for some of the young guys in the Pirates system to train regularly in front of Major League coaches. One of those young guys taking advantage of the situation is infielder Rodolfo Castro, who started his career as a shortstop but ended up flipping to second base after struggling defensively. When he was signed, he was known for his defensive abilities with questions on whether or not his bar would be able to perform in pro ball. However, his story has been exactly the opposite...