Pirates fans have only gotten a taste of right-hander Roansy Contreras’ big-league potential in stages.
The team’s No. 5 prospect on MLB Pipeline found his way to Pittsburgh last September, making his MLB debut in the last week of the season. Then he got onto the team for opening day after injuries struck the team’s bullpen. He only made cameos as a multi-inning reliever before the team optioned him back to Class AAA Indianapolis.
Now, Contreras is back starting games in the minors, tossing 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run with five strikeouts last Sunday, his lone appearance since returning to Indianapolis.
As the major league team shuffles around its pitchers, though, making some relievers starters and generally limiting innings thrown by those who have remained starters, there is an alternate universe in which Contreras never left Pittsburgh. General manager Ben Cherington explained Saturday that the Pirates just didn’t feel like they could offer the same development opportunity for Contreras in the majors.
“The reason for Triple-A, for now, is that we just really didn’t have a chance to [stretch him out] in spring training,” Cherington said. “Then because of the expanded roster and some injuries at the end of spring training, he ended up on the team and we tried to complete building his progression on the team. But we just felt like at some point we had to give him the chance to get some normal starts under his belt, and Triple-A was the place to do it for now. He’s really important to us. Like we told him when we optioned him, if he does the things he’s capable of and controls his end of it, our hope is that we’ll see him in Pittsburgh sometime this summer.”
Obviously, Contreras is not the only prospect the Pirates and their fans will hope to see progress through the minors. He’s also not the only one making a strong statement at the start of the season.
Currently at High-A Greensboro, No. 2 prospect Henry Davis may be separating himself from the pack. He, No. 7 prospect Endy Rodriguez and Abrahan Gutierrez, acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners last season, have all caught for the team this season.
Davis, however, has dominated offensively. He hit his third home run of the season Friday and is currently slashing .328/.461/.541 in 17 games at High-A. Including eight games in Greensboro last season, he now has six homers in 25 games at that level.
In essence, the 22-year-old has done nothing but rake. So how long is long enough for the Pirates to push him along to Altoona?
Cherington, as would be expected, was noncommittal on a specific timeline, but he has taken notice of the progress one of the team’s crown jewels has made.
“He's having really good at-bats, consistent at-bats, pouring a lot into the pitching staff, working his tail off — which he always has, so not unexpectedly. I think he's doing a great job,” Cherington said. “... As I’ve said before, if it's time, if we feel like we've had enough time, we've seen enough and someone's consistently doing the things that we've asked them to do and that they need to do and someone pushes their way up so that it helps spread that group out a little bit, then we'll do that.”
Their No. 6 prospect, shortstop Liover Peguero, has shot out of a cannon in Altoona. On Thursday, he went 4-for-5 from the plate with two doubles and a homer, his third long ball of the season.
It’s appropriate to remember that Peguero is still younger than most at that level, just 21 years old. Still, he’s hitting .338 with a .960 OPS in 16 games this season. To Cherington, Peguero’s approach and preparation has been impressive.
“He's just been into every pitch. That's something that we would strive to see out of every minor league player,” Cherington said. “That's part of the daily messaging from our managers is win the next pitch ... and he's been doing that — defensively, offensively, on the bases. When talented players do that, when talented players focus on winning the next pitch, usually good things can happen. And good things have been happening for him.”
Peguero’s strong single-game production was matched by a middle infielder in Class AAA Indianapolis. No, it is not 6-foot-7 shortstop Oneil Cruz. Ji-Hwan Bae went 5-for-6 at the plate with a home run, two doubles and 10 total bases.
Cherington complimented Bae’s continued work defensively, playing both center field and second base.
Around the horn
Number 4 prospect Quinn Priester has not pitched yet this season, out with an oblique injury. Cherington said the young right-hander, who is still at the Pirates’ spring training site in Bradenton, Fla., will initially return in extended spring training before lengthening out to return to Altoona. ... At the big-league level, the Pirates activated Cole Tucker from the COVID injured list after he was placed there Tuesday. In a corresponding move, utility man Tucupita Marcano, the team’s No. 24 prospect, was optioned back to Altoona. He went 1-for-2 with a double in his lone appearance with the Pirates.
Mike Persak: mpersak@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDPersak
First Published: April 30, 2022, 9:59 p.m.
