BRADENTON, Fla. — The beginning of the month saw 2022 first-round draft pick Termarr Johnson promoted to High-A Greensboro, but the Bradenton Marauders have hardly been devoid of offense. In fact, the Pirates’ Low-A affiliate boasts plenty of intriguing hitters.
There’s been ample pop, as evidenced by Bradenton’s 105 home runs entering Monday’s off day, second-most in Low-A. But there’s been a solid approach, with the Marauders leading all full-season affiliates in walks with 686.
While Johnson and Josiah Sightler have since vacated LECOM Park, the Marauders have welcomed a couple key new faces in 2023 draft picks Mitch Jebb, Charles McAdoo and Garret Forrester, although Forrester is currently on the injured list.
“Figuring out a routine has been a big part of it,” Jebb said last week.
A speedy, contact-first infielder out of Michigan State, Jebb has hit .292 with more walks (10) than strikeouts (eight) to go along with seven steals in 18 games: “The past few weeks I’ve been here, I’ve been doing my best to perfect that.”
Again, Jebb isn’t the only one who warrants a second look, although we’ll circle back to his throwback swing from the left side.
The most encouraging sign out of Bradenton this season might honestly be Lonnie White Jr., the Malvern Prep outfielder who signed with the Pirates for $1.5 million in 2021. They drafted him in the second compensatory round back in 2021, convincing him to pass on a football scholarship to Penn State.
White’s injury list has been lengthy, including thumb, elbow and hamstring issues that limited him to just 11 Florida Complex League games in 2021-22. But after surgery for the first of those caused him to miss the first two months this spring, White since late June has been flashing why the Pirates took a chance on him and enticed him to sign.
The 6-foot-3, 212-pound outfielder started out by playing 17 games in the FCL, hitting .317 with an .878 OPS. While much of that was back-loaded, with the 20-year-old overcoming a slow start, White balanced his walks (11) and strikeouts (19) nicely and also racked up 10 RBIs.
Joining the Marauders on July 4, White (MLB Pipeline No. 20) has appeared in 28 games, hitting .262 with an .898 OPS that includes seven doubles, a triple and five home runs. He has 21 RBIs and 27 runs scored in that span while showing that incredible speed that MLB Pipeline gives a 70 on scouts’ 20-to-80 scale.
“I’ve been hurt for a pretty long time,” White said. “Getting out of the rehab room and onto the field, I’m pretty happy with that.”
White has actually been in concussion protocol recently but is expected to return very soon, at which point he can get back to what he thinks has driven his success this season more than anything: simplifying.
Being hurt so much helped White understand how his body works. At the same time, having some real games under his belt has allowed him to stop thinking so much, relying more on his natural ability.
“It’s been all about figuring out myself,” White said.
Speaking of finding things, it’ll be curious to see what the Pirates have found in McAdoo, a 13th-round pick out of San Jose State. McAdoo had a six-hit game on Aug. 8 and hit .548 with a 1.512 OPS through his first eight games.
However, the versatile McAdoo — who has played everywhere but pitcher and catcher over the past three seasons — has endured a 1-for-19 slide over his past five.
“I’ve been feeling good,” he said. “They gave me an extra week to settle in here, and it really helped me ease into it. I wasn’t rushing myself.”
There have been familiar names, too. Rodolfo Nolasco leads the team in home runs (16) and RBIs (58). He’s also hitting .211 and has struck out 131 times in 385 plate appearances (34.0%).
Shalin Polanco, the Pirates’ prized signing during the 2020-21 international period, hit 12 homers and had a .762 OPS over 70 games, but he has missed the past month with an unspecified injury.
With Johnson and third baseman Jack Brannigan gone, the most intriguing infielder left might be Jebb — and he’s a vastly different type of player.
Jebb (MLB Pipeline No. 11) has a compact stroke from the left side, one that starts with the barrel resting on his shoulder. The Saginaw, Mich., native is slightly hunched over, and it’s all about contact and getting on base.
“It’s always evolving, always changing,” Jebb, a second-round pick in July, said of his swing. “Just finding the one that works for you to get on base for the team. That’s the best thing that I can do, so I try to that.”
Jebb is very fast. MLB Pipeline considers him a 65-grade runner, and he also knows what he’s doing on the bases. The aggressiveness has been noticeable thus far. It also means that Jebb — should he continue hitting — might find a long-term home in the outfield.
“I’m pretty fast,” Jebb said. “I get pretty good reads catching fly balls. In batting practice I’m pretty good at it. I just haven’t really had an opportunity to do it in games.”
Starting Nine
Numbers through Sunday’s games
1. Lanky lefty Jackson Wolf has 119 strikeouts this season, 11th-most for a pitcher at that level. Good chance we see him in Pittsburgh at some point. Has a 3.46 ERA in three starts with Double-A Altoona.
2. Tsung-Che Cheng is tied for the MiLB lead with 10 triples. Intriguing as a prospect because of his speed, sneaky pop and position flexibility. Hitting .298 with an .857 OPS in 102 games across two levels this season.
3. Encouraging return for Quinn Priester back at Triple-A on Saturday, working four scoreless innings and striking out six. He’ll be back but needs to figure out some stuff first.
4. Rob Zastryzny has quietly been very good for Triple-A Indy, posting a 2.63 ERA in 12 games (13 2/3 innings) since July 5, walking none, striking out 15 and permitting zero homers.
5. Could we hear about Domingo Leyba soon? Has seen 55 MLB games with the Diamondbacks and Orioles, though he has hit just .152 in those. Since joining Indy on July 26, Leyba has hit .298 with a 1.043 OPS in 17 games, which includes two doubles, a triple and five home runs.
6. Another Pirates farmhand we should probably discuss more: right-handed starter Aaron Shortridge. He’s a 26-year-old fourth-round pick out of Cal in 2018. Had Tommy John in January 2021. Has seemingly hit his stride in August, pitching to a 1.71 ERA in three starts.
7. Malcom Nunez had an .838 OPS and three homers in 14 games since starting his return Aug. 1. Mason Martin has an .886 OPS and doesn’t have a home run this month, but has been hitting .314 with fewer strikeouts. Will be interesting if one gets a shot at first base.
8. If the big club needs a reliever — which happens, oh, about every week — Hunter Stratton might be a name you hear. Has been pitching extremely well, with a 1.23 ERA, .143 batting average against and 20 strikeouts in his last 12 outings (14 2/3 innings).
9. Mentioned Brannigan earlier. He’s been even better since joining the Grasshoppers, posting a .305 average and 1.032 OPS compared to .253 and .849, respectively, with the Marauders. The park helps, sure. But Brannigan’s development while choosing hitting over pitching has been important.
Extras: The calls for Miguel Andujar have cooled, perhaps because he has, as well, hitting just .211 with a .570 OPS over his last 11.
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: August 21, 2023, 2:37 p.m.
