Pirates Prospect Watch: Termarr Johnson Homers, Suffers Calf Cramp

Pirates minor league affiliates went 3-0 on the day (Altoona didn’t play because of a rainout), as the farm teams didn’t seem to suffer from the wave of recent departures to the big leagues. 2022 first-round pick Termarr Johnson left the Bradenton Marauders game with what the Pirates reported as a calf cramp… but not before he hit a tank of a home run that traveled 471 feet. 

Here are the notable performances from Sunday.

Triple-A Indianapolis Indians (38-43)

3B Vinny Capra

• Game: 4-for-4 with two doubles, a walk and three RBI.
• Season: .271/.424/.361 with 9 doubles and one home run.

SS Alika Williams  

• Game: 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk.
• Season: .267/.349/.466 with 17 doubles, one triple and 11 home runs in 72 games between the Rays’ and Pirates’ affiliates.

The post-Endy Rodriguez era got off to a hot start for Indianapolis, as the Indians won 11-4 against the Omaha Storm Chasers. Jared Jones got the start and allowed three runs in five innings, striking out six without a walk. Second baseman Josh Bissonette also clubbed a three-run blast, and center fielder Chris Owings hit a solo shot.

Double-A Altoona Curve (39-41)

Canceled–inclement weather.

High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers (40-41)

DH Tres Gonzalez

• Game: 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, and an RBI.
• Season: .282/.404/.393 with 15 doubles and five home runs between Bradenton and Greensboro.

1B Jase Bowen

• Game: 2-for-4 with a walk. 
• Season: .253/.332/.480 with nine doubles, two triples and 17 home runs. 

Greensboro defeated the Brooklyn Cyclones 13-5. Third baseman Shawn Ross hit a grand slam in the fifth inning that helped blow the game wide open. Starting pitcher Po-Yu Chen pitched five innings, allowing three runs. All in all, Greensboro put on a very steady performance, with just two batters logging two hits and only one home run. 

Single-A Bradenton Marauders (48-35)

2B Termarr Johnson 

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, a walk and three runs scored.
• Season: .250/.416/.462 with 15 doubles, one triple and 12 home runs.

C Omar Alfonzo

• Game: 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI.
• Season: .250/.442/.422 with five doubles and two home runs in 27 games between rookie ball and Bradenton.

Johnson had a day to remember with three runs scored and the mammoth blast… but his real win was managing to escape with just a calf cramp after exiting early due to injury. The Marauders cleaned out the Dunedin Blue Jays 9-4, with Bradenton’s bullpen contributing 3.1 hitless innings.