Pirates Minor League Report: No. 4 Prospect Returns to Mound

Extra innings matchups abounded for Pirates’ minor league affiliates on Friday, with three of four games going into the tenth inning.

Right-hander Braxton Ashcraft made his return to game action with Indianapolis after spending close to two months on the injured list, easing back into things with one inning to open the game. Ashcraft, the Pirates’ 2018 second round pick, currently sits as their No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline. The Indians went on to play into the tenth inning before rain suspended the game.

Altoona walked off New Hampshire 7-5 in their extra innings matchup thanks to a three-run bomb from Matt Fraizer. Po-Yu Chen went five scoreless innings, and Sammy Siani added another homer.

The Greensboro Grasshoppers, on the other hand, ended up on the wrong side of a walk-off homer in their 7-4 loss to the Rome Emperors.

Bradenton lost 9-6 to the Tampa Tarpons despite four RBI from 2023 16th round pick Justin Miknis.

Triple-A Indianapolis (63-63)

RHP Braxton Ashcraft

• Day: 1 IP, 0 ER, 1 K.
• Season: 73 IP, 2.84 ERA, 77 K’s in 16 appearances (14 starts) between Altoona and Indianapolis

SS Nick Yorke

• Game: 1-for-4 with a double and a walk.
• Season: .297/.376/.435 with 28 doubles and 10 homers in 110 games between the Pirates and Red Sox organizations.

Double-A Altoona (53-71)

RHP Po-Yu Chen

• Game: 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 K’s.
• Season: 128 IP, 4.08 ERA, 92 K’s in 25 appearances (23 starts).

CF Sammy Siani

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .266/.343/.414 with 17 doubles, 6 triples and 9 homers in 105 games between Greensboro and Altoona.

High-A Greensboro (70-52)

C Shawn Ross

• Day: 3-for-5 with a triple.
• Season: .196/.343/.461 with 9 doubles, a triple and 21 homers in 85 games.

RF P.J. Hilson

• Game: 2-for-5 with a double.
• Season:  .242/.303/.417 with 13 doubles, a triple and 14 homers in 96 games between Bradenton and Greensboro.

Single-A Bradenton (52-71)

LF Shalin Polanco

• Game: 1-for-4 with a homer and a walk.
• Season: .184/.269/.332 with 19 doubles, a triple and 11 homers in 97 games.

C Justin Miknis

• Game: 2-for-3 with a double and a walk.
• Season: .195/.364/.264 with 3 doubles and a homer in 35 games.