Pirates Prospect Watch: Nick Gonzales Records First Triple-A Home Run

2020 first-round draft pick and current Pittsburgh Pirates’ prospect Nick Gonzales hit his first career Triple-A home run in his third game for the Indianapolis Indians on Sunday.

The home run was not enough though as a seven-run eighth inning from the Omaha Storm Chasers led to an 8-3 Omaha win as Indianapolis fell to 0-3 on the year.

Gonzales’ solo homer to left field in the second inning of the game measured 403 feet and came with an exit velocity of 105.9 mph. He finished the game 1 for 3 with a walk and manned third base.

Gonzales has gotten off to a nice start in his first taste of Triple-A action. Through his three games, Gonzales is hitting .273 with a 1.021 OPS. Strikeouts continue to plague the 23-year-old as he has been punched out five times in his first 13 plate appearances of the year.

His performance at the plate to begin the season comes on the heels of an impressive spring training. In 17 games this spring Gonzales hit .391 with a .962 OPS for the Pirates.

Last year, Gonzales spent the season with Double-A Altoona. He missed roughly two months with plantar fasciitis and finished the year with an .812 OPS, seven home runs and 33 RBIs in 71 games with the Curve.

Now, the next time Gonzales gets a promotion, it will result in the Pirates’ prospect making his big league debut with Pittsburgh. That debut could come at some point this season.

In Other News…

Right-hander Mike Burrows took the mound for the first time in 2023 and his first start was a success. He yielded only one run to the Storm Chasers in five innings of work. He allowed two hits, issued a pair of free passes and struck out one.

Burrows is ranked as the Pirates’ ninth-best prospect by MLB Pipeline. 

Outfielder Chavez Young went 2 for 4 and drove in a pair on a triple. For Young, acquired this offseason from the Toronto Blue Jays, the two hits were his first with the organization.

Pirates prospect Travis Swaggerty finished the game 1 for 4 with a walk and has recorded a hit in each of the first three games of the season.