Pirates Minor League Report: Termarr Johnson Crushes Homer

Pirates’ affiliates picked up four wins in five attempts on Saturday, with 2022 first overall pick Termarr Johnson enjoying his best game at the plate since getting promoted to Altoona last month: the 20-year-old crushed his second Double-A homer as part of a three hit night.

Fellow MLB Pipeline Pirates Top 30 member and infielder Tsung-Che Cheng also made his way on base twice, doing so via two singles and a walk.

2024 deadline acquisition Billy Cook kept on slugging in Indianapolis, crushing a grand slam on the way to a 9-4 win. Fellow trade pickup Nick Yorke singled and walked twice, pushing his average north of .300 on the season; he’s batting .358 in 33 games with Indy.

Left-hander Michael Kennedy shoved in Greensboro, punching out ten batters and carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning. First baseman Omar Alfonzo’s seventh inning solo shot proved all the offense the Grasshoppers needed in a 1-0 win.

Bradenton sealed the win after the resumption of Friday’s suspended game, then fell 5-4 in walkoff fashion in the second contest of their doubleheader.

Triple-A Indianapolis (68-66)

DH Billy Cook

• Game: 2-for-5 with a homer.
• Season: .275/.375/.474 with 24 doubles, 4 triples and 17 homers in 115 games between the Pirates and Orioles organizations.

SS Nick Yorke

• Game: 1-for-3 with 2 walks.
• Season: .300/.381/.447 with 32 doubles and 11 homers in 116 games between the Pirates and Red Sox organizations.

Double-A Altoona (57-74)

SS Termarr Johnson

• Game: 3-for-5 with a homer.
• Season: .233/.364/.383 with 18 doubles, a triple and 15 homers in 121 games between Altoona and Greensboro.

2B Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game: 2-for-4 with a walk.
• Season: .212/.315/.337 with 17 doubles and 11 homers in 119 games.

High-A Greensboro (74-55)

LHP Michael Kennedy

• Game: 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 10 K’s.
• Season: 83.2 IP, 3.65 ERA, 95 K’s in 18 appearances (17 starts) between Bradenton and Greensboro.

1B Omar Alfonzo

• Game: 1-for-3 with a homer.
• Season: .251/.353/.402 with 17 doubles, a triple and 13 homers in 109 games between Bradenton and Greensboro.

Single-A Bradenton (54-76)

CF Shalin Polanco

• Game: 2-for-2 with 2 singles and a walk.
• Season: .193/.283/.347 with 19 doubles, 3 triples and 11 homers in 103 games.