Pirates Prospect Watch: Priester Shows Balanced Approach

Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Quinn Priester’s final line on Thursday may be deceiving. It’s true; he did give up four runs, but until the sixth inning, he was cruising. 

With two outs in the sixth, Priester left a hanging curveball to old friend Tyler Heineman, plating a run. 

With Wil Crowe subbing in for Priester, he gave up a two-RBI triple. So, some bad luck, but Priester has looked much better since his recent option to Triple-A. 

Priester is starting to use his entire arsenal and keep it reasonably even in distribution. For context, Priester used his slider (34%), sinker (22%), four-seam (20%), curveball (15%), and his changeup (9%). 

Indianapolis (59-68)

2B Nick Gonzales

• Game stats: 2-4 with a double
• Season stats: .266/.377/.451, eight homers, five triples, 21 doubles, and 34 RBIs (297-at-bats, or 78 games at Triple-A)

RHP Kyle Nicolas

• Game stats: 1.0 IP, one hit, no runs, one walk, and a strikeout
• Season stats: 4-7, 5.38 ERA, 92.0 IP, 48 walks, and 115 strikeouts in 30 games (17 starts)

The Indians have yet to beat Buffalo in this six-game series with their 4-1 loss on Thursday night. Despite his average stat line, Priester pitched a much better game. One lousy pitch defined his night.

Priester’s final line was 5.2 IP, three hits, four runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts.

Domingo Leyba and Gonzales were the only Indianapolis players to register more than one hit. In addition, Kyle Nicolas continued his scoreless streak and is now up to seven straight games.

Altoona (57-63)

3B Jackson Glenn

• Game stats: 2-4, a double, run scored, and an RBI
• Season stats: .290/.357/.472, 11 homers, three triples, 17 doubles, and 53 RBIs (307 at-bats, or 80 games between High-A and Double-A)

2B Mike Jarvis

• Game stats: 2-4 with a stolen base
• Season stats: .232/.309/.409, 11 homers, five triples, ten doubles, 27 stolen bases, and 48 RBIS (298 at-bats, or 79 games between High-A and Double-A)

The Curve were down 3-1 heading into the top of the eighth and tied it up after an RBI double from Glenn, as well as an RBI single from Tsung-Che Cheng. 

In the bottom of the eighth, Cam Junker allowed a solo shot, which put the nail in the coffin for the Curve. Altoona did have a chance to tie it up in the ninth with the tying run on third but was unsuccessful.

Erie won 4-3. 

Greensboro (64-56)

DH Tres Gonzalez

• Game stats: 1-3, a homer, run scored, two walks, and two RBIs
• Season stats: .284/.398/.397, eight homers, 22 doubles, 28 stolen bases, and 52 RBIs (408 at-bats, or 107 games between Low-A and High-A)

RHP Joshua Loeschorn

• Game stats: 3.0 IP, no hits, no runs, no walks, and two strikeouts
• Season stats: 5-4, 4.23 ERA, 61.2 IP, 17 walks, and 84 strikeouts in 31 games (three starts)

It was a rough night for J.P. Massey and the Greensboro Grasshoppers, losing 7-4 to Hickory. Massey had a tough time controlling his pitches with four walks.

As a result, Massey allowed five hits and four runs while striking out two in 2.2 innings of work. In the first three innings of the game, Greensboro walked six batters.

In relief, Loeschorn pitched three perfect innings.

Bradenton (67-52)

Doubleheader canceled for Thursday. Scheduled to pick back up on Friday Sept. 1.