Pirates Prospect Watch: Termarr Johnson’s Red-Hot July Continues

Ever since the calendar flipped to July, Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Termarr Johnson has been rolling at the plate.

After hitting his 13th homer of the season on Tuesday, Johnson is slashing .311/.482/.672 with six home runs and 17 RBIs in 19 games on the month.

Johnson, of course, was the Pirates first-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft. After starting the season on the IL, it took Johnson a bit to find his footing, but he is well on his way now.

In addition to Johnson, here are the highlights from down on the Pirates’ farm on Tuesday.

Indianapolis (45-51)

1B Aaron Shackelford

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one home run, three RBIs, one run
• Season stats: .233/.354/.442, 13 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, seven steals, 81 games

RF Ryan Vilade

• Game stats: 2 for 5, one double, one RBI, one run
• Season stats: .272/.388/.386, 15 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 32 RBIs, six steals, 77 games

Shackelford and Vilade each had an extra-base hit as part of two-hit nights for Indianapolis in their 11-7 win over the Louisville Bats.

Pirates prospect Canaan Smith-Njigba went 1 for 3 with a double, an RBI, two runs scored and two walks.

Altoona (42-45)

RF Chavez Young

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one home run, one RBI, one run
• Season stats: .205/.298/.265, two doubles, one home run, three RBIs, five steals, 28 games

1B Mason Martin

• Game stats: 1 for 2, one home run, one RBI, two runs, two walks, one steal
• Season stats: .214/.372/.464, eight doubles, 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, seven steals, 68 games

Young and Martin hit two of the three homers for Altoona, but the Curve fell 6-5 to the Harrisburg Senators — Connor Scott hit the other.

Pirates prospect Mike Jarvis went 2 for 5.

Greensboro (45-43)

DH Josiah Sightler

• Game stats: 2 for 4, one home run, two RBIs, two runs, one walk
• Season stats: .500/.600/.1.250, one home run, two RBIs, one game

RHP Derek Diamond

• Game stats: 6.0 innings, six hits, two runs, no walks, four strikeouts
• Season stats: 1-0, 0.00 ERA (0er/6.0ip), six hits, four strikeouts, one start/one appearance

A pair of Pirates’ prospects making their High-A debuts in Sightler and Diamond paved they way to a big 13-2 win over the Winston-Salem Dash.

Pirates prospects Jack Brannigan, Wyatt Hendrie and Francisco Acuna all had two-hit games while Will Matthiessen hit his 11th homer of the season.

Bradenton (52-38)

2B Termarr Johnson

• Game stats: 1 for 3, one home run, one RBI, two runs, two walks
• Season stats: .256/.419/.474, 10 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, 43 RBIs, five steals, 70 games

1B Maclom Nuñez

• Game stats: 3 for 4, one double, one RBI, two runs, one walk
• Season stats: .750/.800/1.000, one double, one RBI, one game

In addition to Johnson, the rehabbing Nuñez had a big hand in Bradenton’s 8-5 win over the St. Lucie Mets.

Right-hander Brandan Bidois earned the win after throwing two scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.