Pirates Prospect Watch: Nuñez Homers Again, Polanco Walks-Off Daytona

Several Pittsburgh Pirates’ prospects helped High-A Greensboro and Low-A Bradenton walk away with winds on Wednesday down on the farm.

In other news, Malcom Nuñez seems to be finding his power stroke for Triple-A Indianapolis after coming over from the Cardinals’ organization last summer.

As has been a theme so far this year, more lesser-known prospects are starting to change that narrative. Here are Wednesday’s top performers.

Indianapolis (7-10)

1B Malcom Nuñez

• Game stats: 2 for 5, one home run, three RBIs, one run
• Season stats: .222/.263/.333, two home runs, nine RBIs, 14 games

3B Nick Gonzales

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one run, one walk
• Season stats: .283/.384/.500, three doubles, two triples, two home runs, five RBIs, 17 games

Nuñez slugged his second homer of the season but it was all for naught as Indianapolis was defeated by the Memphis Redbirds 12-7. Gonzales continues to perform well at the plate with a pair of hits and a walk.

Pirates prospects Josh Bisonette and Aaron Shakelford also had multi-hit games while reliever Hunter Stratton struck out the side in his lone inning of work.

Altoona (4-7)

INF Andrés Alvarez

• Game stats: 1 for 3, two RBIs, sacrifice fly
• Season stats: .158/.261/.263, one double, one home run, six RBIs, 11 games

C Dylan Shockley

• Game stats: 2 for four, one RBI
• Season stats: .353/.450/.353, two RBIs, six games

The Curve were defeated 9-3 by the Bowie Baysox but both Alvarez and Shockley had pretty good games at the plate.

Pirates’ prospect Matt Gorksi doubled, walked and scored a pair of runs for Altoona as he starts to heat up at the plate.

Greensboro (8-3)

LHP Anthony Solometo

• Game stats: 4.1 innings, five hits, two earned runs, two walks, eight strikeouts
• Season stats: 0-0, 5.25 ERA, 7er/12ip, 11 hits, seven walks, sixteen strikeouts, three appearances/three starts

C Eli Wilson

• Game stats: 1 for two, one home run, three RBIs, one run, one walk
• Season stats: .188/.350/.375, one home run, three RBIs, five games

Wilson’s three-run home run was the difference for Greensboro in their 3-2 win over the Greenville Drive. Solometo had his strikeout stuff working in his third start of the season for the Grasshoppers.

Pirates’ prospect Jackson Glenn had two hits and a run scored while Cy Nielson earned his sec0nd save of the season with a scoreless ninth frame.

Bradenton (7-4)

CF Tres Gonzalez

• Game stats: 2 for 3, one run, two walks, one steal
• Season stats: .353/.436/.441, three doubles, seven RBIs, three steals, nine games

DH Shalin Polanco

• Game stats: 1 for 4, one double, one RBI, two walks
• Season stats: .235/.500/.294, one double, two RBIs, one steal, five games

With the bases loaded in a 5-5 game in the bottom of the 11th, Polanco drew a walk to give the Marauders a 6-5 win over the Daytona Tortugas. Gonzalez has been very consistent at the plate and continued that with four more times on base.

Pirates’ prospect Geovanny Planchart drove in a pair and relievers Ryan Harbin and Elijah Birdson combined for four innings of shutout ball with four strikeouts.