After the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season, teams across major league baseball were left to scramble with alternate site rosters and taxi squads. That reality has persisted into the current campaign, but this past weekend’s minor league roster announcements seem to be the final confirmation that this farm league season is finally going to happen.
It was well worth the wait for the 120 small markets that survived the league's contraction. But for a rebuilding team like the Pirates, the minor league season truly provides more clarity for their next steps forward.
The club announced the full rosters for all four of their full-season affiliates Saturday afternoon. Any players not among these teams will either be with the Gulf Coast or Dominican Summer League since the other short-season leagues were cut during MLB’s takeover of the minor league system.
But after seeing where specific top prospects will start the minor league season, it’s important to ask which club should get the most attention.
Based on potential and prospect rankings, it seems High Class A Greensboro hit the lottery out of the gate. Going by MLB Pipeline’s rankings, the Grasshoppers will host the Pirates Nos. 2, 3, 5, 7 and 11 prospects in Nick Gonzales, Quinn Priester, Liover Peguero, Tahnaj Thomas and Carmen Mlodzinski to start the season.
If going purely based on rankings, Greensboro doesn’t have much competition in this fight. But there are other things to consider in this argument. One of the best examples being the natural feeder program to the current major league team that really hasn’t been in place for more than a year.
Considering the makeup of the current major league team, might Class AAA Indianapolis outfielder Travis Swaggerty -- despite his No. 9 rating by MLB Pipeline -- be the most important prospect in the Pirates’ system right now since he’s the closest to major league ready among the minor league outfielders at a time while the major league club is really hurting for players at his position?
Or maybe it’s Class AA Altoona that should draw the most attention off the bat, if only to see if Oneil Cruz can hit high-level pitching and stick at shortstop. Perhaps maybe Tuesday’s opening day starter for the Curve, Roansy Contreras can supplant current Indianapolis front man and major league spot starter, Miguel Yajure, if the opportunity presents itself.
Finally, if the outfield is such an important area for growth, what is Hudson Head going to show in Low Class A Bradenton? And how will right-handers Brennan Malone and Eddy Yean perform by his side?
There’s a lot to consider when analyzing a minor league season for a rebuilding team like the Pirates. And the possibilities are so wide open that the next home-grown contributor at PNC Park might not be anyone who shows up on a top prospect list.
YOUR TURN: With the minor league season beginning Tuesday, to which of the four Pirates’ affiliates will you be paying attention?
