Pirates Prospect Watch: Carter Bins Carries Salt River’s Offense

In game 15 of the Arizona Fall League season, the Salt River Rafters played the Peoria Javelinas in Peoria. All three Pittsburgh Pirates prospect position players participated in Wednesday’s game. 

Jase Bowen (left field) batted leadoff, Jack Brannigan (shortstop) hit in the eight hole, and Carter Bins (catcher) batted ninth. 

Regarding prospect rankings, Peoria is a very stacked club, but Salt River made it a close game despite losing 7-4 at the night’s end. Wednesday’s loss ended Salt River’s four-game winning streak.

In addition, there was no statcast or stream in Wednesday’s game, so we will have to go on basic box score results.

Bowen

Bowen’s lone hit of the ballgame occurred in the top of the first inning with a line drive single to right field. Eventually, Bowen scored on a sac fly by David McCabe, making it a 1-0 game. 

Bowen then hit a flyout in the third, struck out in the fifth and seventh, and then grounded out in his final at-bat in the ninth. The righty finished his night going 1-5 with a run scored and two strikeouts.

Brannigan

The promising Notre Dame product struggled mightily at the plate on Wednesday. Brannigan struck out in his first three at-bats. In his final at-bat of the night, Brannigan grounded out. 

In his 40 at-bats of the fall league, Brannigan has struck out 18 times, which is third worst in the league. The two players ahead of Brannigan are Aaron Sabato and Cameron Cauley.

Bins

Bins was the only Pittsburgh Pirates prospect who made an impact Wednesday night.

After a strikeout in his first at-bat, Bins hit a single in the fifth inning, a double in the seventh, and then a solo homer in the ninth.

Bins finished the night going 3-4 at the plate with two extra-base hits, a run scored, and an RBI to boot. In addition, Bins bumped his average up to .315 with an OPS of 1.065.

Although Bins has only played in five games (three as a catcher), he has made the most of the opportunities he’s been given. I’m curious about how many games he will play during the rest of the season.