Pirates Spring Breakout Highlights: Hernandez Leaves ‘Em Stunned, Blanco is Grand
Prospects from the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated prospects from the Detroit Tigers 8-7 on Friday night in the annual Spring Breakout game.
Top prospects from both teams took the field with several of the Pirates’ most intriguing minor-leaguers opening eyes in the win.
Here are some of the highlights from the game.
Seth Hernandez Sizzles
2025 first-round draft pick Seth Hernandez started the game on the mound for the Pirates and threw a scoreless first inning.
The 19-year-old game out of the gate firing. His first pitch was clocked at a whopping 102 mph and left Max Clark, the third overall pick of the Tigers in the 2023 draft, stunned.
This was the first chance Pirates’ fans got a look at one of the most promising arms in the minor leagues. Hernandez did not appear in a game after he was selected by Pittsburgh with the sixth pick in last year’s draft.
On Friday night against Detroit, Hernandez walked a pair of batters but recorded a strikeout then induced an inning-ending double play to keep the Tigers from scoring.
Tony Blanco Jr’s Towering Grand Slam
With the bases loaded and the Pirates trailing by a run in the bottom of the third inning, Blanco sent a towering shot out to left field for a go-ahead grand slam and a three-run lead.
Blanco turned on a 2-2 inside fastball and sent it a long ways over the seats.
Blanco appeared in 30 games between the FCL and Low-A Bradenton last season and hit .259 with an .859 OPS, eight home runs and 23 RBI.
Easton Carmichael Goes Deep
The Pirates selected Carmichael out of the University of Oklahoma in the third round of last year’s draft. Carmichael got off to a slow start to his professional career by going 6 for 50 with a homer and two RBI in 14 games with High-A Greensboro after getting drafted.
But the 22-year-old made a strong impression in Friday’s win. Three batters after Blanco’s slam, Carmichael padded the lead with a solo shot to straightaway center field. To me, his swing resembled a right-handed Adam Frazier, who spent seven years with the Pirates.
Konnor Griffin Makes a Mic’d Up Play
Top prospect Konnor Griffin went 0 for 2 with a pair of strikeouts at the plate but did an in-game interview with the Pirates’ broadcast team of Greg Brown and John Wehner in the top of the third inning.
During the interview, a ball was hit to him at short. Griffin, who received his minor-league Gold Glove from owner Bob Nutting pregame, made the routine play. That might not be the only thing he receives from Nutting this year.
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