Pirates Prospect Watch: Johan Oviedo Continues To Impress Since Trade

It was a quiet day of sorts down in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ farm system as both the Altoona Curve and Greensboro Grasshoppers were out of action due to inclement weather and field conditions.

Still, there are three games to focus on as the Bradenton Marauders played a doubleheader on Sunday, and the Indianapolis Indians improved to over .500 with a win.

Johan Oviedo dazzled on the mound for the Indians, and Tsung-Che Cheng continued his impressive month of August at the plate for Bradenton. Here are the Pirates’ prospects who performed the best.

Indianapolis Indians (58-57)

RHP Johan Oviedo

• Game:  2.2 innings, one hit, no runs, no walks, five strikeouts
• Season: 0-0, 1.17 ERA, 7.2 innings, five hits, two walks, nine strikeouts

1B Brendt Citta

• Game: 2 for 3, two RBIs and two runs
• Season: .229/.304/.371, four doubles, two home runs, 13 RBIs, 20 games

Ever since he was acquired from the Cardinals at the deadline in the Jose Quintana trade, Oviedo has been impressive. That continued on Sunday in the Indians’ 8-2 win over the Iowa Cubs as five of the right-hander’s eight outs recorded were via punch outs.

Oviedo could be a player who pitches for the big league club by the end of this season, whether in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

Citta plated two runs on two hits and scored a pair in the win. Hoy Park and Carter Bins each recorded a long ball for Indianapolis.

Altoona Curve (57-56)

CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Greensboro Grasshoppers (48-62)

POSTPONED DUE TO WET GROUNDS – MAKEUP GAME TBD

Bradenton Marauders (59-54)

Game One

C Wyatt Hendrie

• Game: 2 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and a run
• Season: .249/.338/.366, nine doubles, three triples, three home runs, 22 RBIs, four steals, 69 games

INF Tsung-Che Cheng

• Game: 1 for 3 with a triple, a run and a walk
• Season: .268/.366/.430, 21 doubles, seven triples, six home runs, 43 RBIs, 25 steals, 88 games

The Marauders fell in game one of a doubleheader to the Tampa Tarpons 7-4, but both Hendrie and Cheng provided production with the bats. Cheng has been red-hot in the month of August, hitting .387 with a 1.174 OPS in 18 games.

Game Two

1B Juan Jerez

• Game: 2 for 2 with a home run, an RBI, two runs and a walk
• Season: .215/.286/.350, nine doubles, three triples, six home runs, 37 RBIs, 15 steals, 64 games

RHP Joelvis Del Rosario

• Game: 5.0 innings, five hits, two runs, three walks, six strikeouts
• Season: 6-2, 3.69 ERA, 78 innings, 77 hits, 23 walks, 67 strikeouts, 17 games/16 starts

Del Rosario picked up his team-high sixth victory in Bradenton’s 3-2 win over Tampa to split the doubleheader. Jerez was on base in all three of his plate appearances to lead the offense.

Pirates’ outfield prospect Jasiah Dixon slugged his eighth home run of the season, and fellow outfielder Tres Gonzalez picked up a pair of hits for the Marauders in the win.