With the bullpen struggling to right the ship, could the Pittsburgh Pirates find some stability in minor league starters the major league rotation has no room for right now?
When comparing the 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates to the current 2016 squad, it is a complete 180 degree turn. Last season, the Pirates were a team known specifically for it’s pitching, while the offense struggled at times. This season, it’s been the exact opposite, with the offense being one of the best in baseball and the pitching staff undergoing an assortment of issues, especially in the bullpen.
The Pirates have attempted to solve these issues with various players who have been up and down between AAA and the majors, but it hasn’t completely worked out up to this point with guys like AJ Schugel, Kyle Lobstein and Rob Scahill. Despite the inconsistency of some of the Pirates current relievers, it isn’t unrealistic to think that the answers to these issues have been in the minor league system this whole time.
Pirates fans know the names of top pitching prospects Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Taillon, two players who could end up making an impact within the Pirates rotation by the end of the season. However, because of these two star prospects, pitching prospects such as Chad Kuhl and Trevor Williams have quietly progressed under the radar.
This season, Kuhl, a ninth round draft pick in 2013, has put up some of the best numbers out of any prospect in the Pirates system, compiling a 4-1 record with an International League best 1.03 ERA in nine starts. Kuhl has also only allowed nine walks compared to 39 strikeouts, proving to be a vital member of the Indianapolis Indians rotation.
Kuhl, who is ranked as the No. 16 prospect in the Pirates system by MLB.com, has put up impressive numbers throughout his entire minor league career, posting a 31-15 record with a 2.61 ERA in 76 career minor league games. Though Kuhl does have the potential to be good starter at the major league level, and he could still be poised to even start at the next level before Glasnow, with a guy like Taillon ahead of him, he may be more suited to eventually assist a struggling bullpen to begin his major league career.
Trevor Williams on the other hand has not had the opportunity to show off much of his skills at the AAA level this season due to injury. Williams, who has missed some time this year due to shoulder discomfort, is expected to rejoin the Indians rotation after finishing his rehab stint with the Bradenton Marauders.
In one start with Bradenton, Williams pitched five scoreless innings, giving up four hits, allowing no walks and striking out four.
With Wilfredo Boscan in the Major Leagues and Steven Brault on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, Williams will be another solid addition to an already steady AAA rotation, at least for now.
Williams, who was originally a second round draft pick in 2013 by the Miami Marlins, was acquired by the Pirates in October in exchange for a low level prospect. It was also felt by many around major league baseball that Williams was acquired as compensation for the Pirates losing special assistant Jim Benedict to Miami. The Pirates have gravitated towards groundball pitchers in the past, with Charlie Morton serving as a prime example, and Williams is no different. Williams fits into that role of a groundball pitcher and has a nice slider and sinker combination that could make him a big time bullpen addition.
Despite the fact that Williams is just returning to AAA and that he only has pitched a limited amount of innings at this level, he could find himself, along with Kuhl, at the Major League level sooner rather than later. The Pirates starting rotation has had struggles in 2016, but these two particular prospects might find themselves in a different role, helping a bullpen that has had its fair share of struggles this season.
This season, the Pirates bullpen sits 20th in Major League Baseball when it comes to ERA (4.07), 12th in home runs allowed (18) and 7th in walks allowed (71).
With a number of roster changes and even the recent injuries to Ryan Vogelsong and Arquimedes Caminero, Kuhl and Williams could provide a different look and a boost to this lingering bullpen. The Pirates have already made a move in regards to a member of the Indianapolis rotation, calling up Boscan, and if his performance with the big league club is any indication of what Kuhl and Williams could bring, a call up for this duo could provide a huge impact.
Despite the positives that these two pitchers may bring to the major league club, it would also leave some voids to be filled in the minor league system, especially within the starting rotation in Indianapolis.
With possible callups for Glasnow and Taillon also on the horizon, the organization must ensure that there are immediate replacements ready to fill those holes at the AAA level. Frank Duncan is already replacing Brault while he is on the disabled list, and he could stay with Indy once Taillon, the likely first callup, gets his call to Pittsburgh. Pitchers such as Altoona’s Tyler Eppler and recent free agent signing Justin Masterson, who is currently participating in extended Spring Training, could also be possible replacements at the AAA level.
Once those voids are filled and the Super 2 deadline passes, which should be around mid-June, it’s possible that we could see some of the Pirates best prospects helping to improve the pitching staff at the major league level.
Glasnow, Taillon, Kuhl, Williams and even Brault are just some of the names of top pitching prospects within the Pirates system. Boscan was the first to make the jump to the major league level, but he certainly won’t be the last.
The Pirates have a ton of pitching depth within their farm teams and it’s about time that they use some of the young arms that they have been developing over the past few years to help fix the Pirates big league pitching issues.
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