Pirates Minor League Report: Hunter Barco Suffers Injury

Many of the usual suspects over the past two weeks appear again in today’s Pirates minor league report, as torrid streaks at the plate from players like Malcom Nuñez, Kervin Pichardo, Henry Davis and Termarr Johnson extended for another day.

In unfortunate news, Hunter Barco, the second-highest ranked lefty in the Pirates’ system, went down with an as-yet undisclosed injury.

Barco managed just one inning and change in his second start for the Altoona Curve. The 2022 second round pick allowed a leadoff single in the second inning then promptly left the game accompanied by a trainer. The Curve went on to lose 5-2 to the Erie Sea Wolves, with both runs coming on a Kervin Pichardo homer, his second of the homestand.

Nuñez and Davis stayed hot at the plate, each hitting homers in Triple-A Indianapolis’ 9-8 win over the Iowa Cubs. Domingo Germán—a veteran pitcher to keep an eye on in light of Pittsburgh’s recent rotation struggles—allowed one run in 5.2 innings, one of his best starts of the season. Indy’s bullpen nearly blew the game, though, allowing the Cubs to close within a run thanks to a five-run ninth inning.

Termarr Johnson continued to bolster his on base percentage, drawing three walks for the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Patrick Reilly kicked the game off with four scoreless innings, but the bullpen surrendered seven runs in a shutout loss to the Asheville Tourists.

The Bradenton Marauders crushed four home runs—two off the bat of Esmerlyn Valdez—in their 5-7 win over the Lakeland Flying Tigers.

Triple-A Indianapolis (46-52)

3B Malcom Nuñez

• Game: 2-for-4 with a homer.
• Season: .263/.327/.403 with 15 doubles and 10 homers in 89 games.

DH Henry Davis

• Game: 2-for-3 with a homer.
• Season: .303/.406/.593 with 12 doubles and 10 homers in 39 games between Altoona and Indianapolis.

Double-A Altoona (40-56)

LHP Hunter Barco

• Game: 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 K.
• Season: 66 IP, 3.27 ERA, 83 K’s in 18 appearances (16 starts) between Greensboro and Altoona.

SS Kervin Pichardo

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer.
• Season: .261/.311/.373 with 11 doubles and 7 homers in 83 games.

High-A Greensboro (57-38)

RHP Patrick Reilly

• Game: 4 IP, 0 ER, 6 K’s.
• Season: 88 IP, 3.38 ERA, 108 K’s in 19 starts.

SS Termarr Johnson

• Game: 0-for-1 with 3 walks.
• Season: .243/.391/.399 with 14 doubles, a triple and 11 homers in 88 games.

Single-A Bradenton (40-56)

C Omar Alfonzo

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double and a homer.
• Season: .263/.367/.402 with 15 doubles and 8 homers in 80 games.

RF Esmerlyn Valdez

• Game: 2-for-4 with 2 homers.
• Season: .233/.345/.458 with 15 doubles, a triple and 14 homers in 77 games.