BRADENTON, Fla. — Mitch Keller, the Pirates' top prospect and one of the best right-handed minor-league pitchers in baseball, admitted he was disappointed when he wasn't given a non-roster invite to big league camp. After all, the 21-year-old starter helped Double-A Altoona win the Eastern League championship last fall, earning Most Valuable Player honors, and has completed two full seasons in the minor leagues.
It took a month in minor-league camp but Keller was able to finally show he belongs among major leaguers Sunday, when he threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts in the Pirates' 2-1 loss to the Red Sox at LECOM Park.
"I was really nervous," Keller, who will begin the season back in Double-A, told reporters at Pirate City afterward. "Very anxious. It was a big moment for me getting out there and showing people what I can do. It was a really cool experience just running in from the bullpen. Kind of hearing the buzz around, so it was cool."
The 6-foot-3 former second-round pick entered in relief in the seventh inning, allowing one hit and striking out two players with major league experience in his first Grapefruit League appearance.
Keller is one of many minor-leaguers who have been given the big-league experience of filling in this spring. Taylor Hearn, a left-handed starting pitcher acquired with Felipe Rivero from the Nationals, was scheduled to make an appearance for the Pirates in their other split-squad game against the Blue Jays in Dunedin but did not end up throwing.
Keller's opportunity, though, was perhaps the most meaningful of the spring. He's ranked 12th in Baseball America's top 100 and has surpassed Austin Meadows as the Pirates' top prospect after an impressive second full season with the organization.
Keller began last season with High-A Bradenton, recording a 3.14 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 64 strikeouts to 20 walks in 77 1/3 innings. His production didn't dip much once he was promoted to Double-A in August, either. He had a 3.12 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 45 strikeouts to 11 walks in 34 2/3 innings, making two starts in the championship series to help Altoona win the title.
The Pirates have often used a minor-league callup such as Keller's as a teaching tool. Clint Hurdle brought Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco to Fort Myers before they joined major-league camp so they could meet David Ortiz. The process is designed to help prepare prospects for the environment of playing against major leaguers in a Grapefruit League stadium.
"We believe in it a lot," Hurdle said. "We’ve been doing it with players since I've gotten here: position players, pitchers. ... So, you look for different things to help that transition process or help them understand the environment a little bit better. We can watch a game like this and maybe not be really attached to it, but these young men that come up in some ways this might be the biggest game they’ve played in. It all depends on what their mind creates. To help them familiarize themselves with the process and the environment and the competition, I do believe there’s a lot of benefit to it."
Keller entered Sunday's game in the seventh inning with the Pirates trailing 2-1, and he promptly struck out Rusney Castillo, an outfielder with 99 games of major league experience, looking with a four-seam fastball over the middle of the plate. He then got a fly out before striking out Ivan De Jesus, an infielder with four years of major league experience, looking on a four-seam fastball low in the zone.
"There was nothing to be disappointed about today," Hurdle said. "Efficient, crisp, downhill angle to the fastball with firm velocity."
Keller allowed a two-out double in the eighth when center fielder Todd Cunningham unsuccessfully dove for a low line drive, but he struck out Luke Tendler looking to finish the outing. Keller successfully threw each of his three pitches — four-seam fastball, curveball and changeup — to keep hitters off balance.
He was a two-pitch pitcher last season, but he focused on learning the changeup during his time in the Arizona Fall League this offseason. The pitch proved to be valuable, as Keller had a 1.24 WHIP in 17 2/3 innings and was named by MLB.com as one of the top pitchers to throw in Arizona.
"It’s huge," Keller said of the changeup. "I’m going to need it to be in the big leagues and do well in the big leagues. If I don’t have that, it’s just fastball, curveball and people can really sit on another pitch. Having that third pitch to keep in the back of their minds is huge. It’s been a big progression for me, and it’s coming along nicely."
Keller's quick ascent through the minor leagues may have a slower pace in 2018. The Pirates' rotation is young with Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, Trevor Williams and Joe Musgrove joining Ivan Nova. Also, Steven Brault and Tyler Glasnow are expected to pitch out of the bullpen to begin the season.
Nick Kingham, Clay Holmes and Tyler Eppler are among the starters expected to return to Triple-A. That should allow Keller time to hone the changeup, which complements his 97 mph fastball. He was already back at the Pirates' spring training facility less than an hour after leaving the mound in front of an announced crowd of 7,035 and will now prepare for his next start on the back fields of Pirate City.
The experience was a reminder of how close he is to the major leagues, but Keller spoke of the importance of keeping everything in perspective, adding that "in this game you learn really quick you don’t deserve much."
"I’m trying not to get too far ahead," Keller said of his timeline to reach the majors. "It’s close. Just talking to people, I’m right there. I just have to hone in my craft and get everything a little bit better than it already is."
• Tyler Glasnow, who was scratched from his last start because of flu-like symptoms, had his most impressive spring outing to date, striking out six batters with two walks and allowing one earned run in 4 2/3 innings. One of his five hits allowed was a bunt double by Mitch Moreland, who took advantage of the shift, and Glasnow's six strikeouts came through four innings.
He was pulled in the fifth after allowing an RBI double to Mookie Betts, who hit a fastball over the plate off the left-field wall.
• The Pirates' lone run against the Red Sox came in the sixth inning, when they hit three consecutive singles, capped by Adam Frazier's line drive to center to score Jacob Stallings. Frazier has 13 hits in his last 24 at-bats and is batting .382 this spring.
• Steven Brault pitched four scoreless innings and allowed one hit in the Pirates' 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays in the other split-squad game in Dunedin, walking one batter with one strikeout. Brault has allowed two earned runs in 10 2/3 innings this spring for a 1.69 ERA.
Richard Rodriguez, Jordan Milbrath, John Stilson and Casey Sadler also pitched at Dunedin Stadium.
• Starling Marte hit his third home run of the spring, a solo shot in the sixth to give the Pirates a 1-0 lead over the Blue Jays. Marte has reached base safely in 10 of his 11 games and has 14 hits in 32 at-bats for a .424 average.
• Hurdle's lineup in Bradenton:
1. Adam Frazier, CF
2. Josh Harrison, 2B
3. Gregory Polanco, RF
4. David Freese, 1B
5. Colin Moran, 3B
6. Jordy Mercer, SS
7. Bryce Brentz, LF
8. Jacob Stallings, C
9. Tyler Glasnow, P
The Pirates' lineup against the Blue Jays in Dunedin:
1. Christopher Bostick, 2B
2. Corey Dickerson, LF
3. Starling Marte, CF
4. Josh Bell, 1B
5. Jose Osuna, RF
6. Elias Diaz, C
7. Max Moroff, 3B
8. Stephen Alemais, SS
9. Steven Brault, P
• The Pirates will host the Twins again on Monday at LECOM Park with first pitch at 1:05 p.m. Nick Kingham is scheduled to start with Michael Feliz and Josh Smoker in relief.