FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Mitch Keller might not have lived up to his billing as a top prospect in his first start of spring training.
However, it is hard to judge anyone off one inning of an early exhibition game. That is why the right-hander was a bit disappointed, but not upset, after giving up two runs to the Twins in a game Minnesota won, 6-5, at Hammond Stadium on Tuesday.
“Things didn’t go the way I wanted them to, but everything felt good, everything felt clean,” Keller said. “I just need to execute my pitches next time. I feel like I got in some hitters’ counts and got hurt by that. Maybe I need to do a little better getting ahead the next time.
“That’s just the way it goes. I’ve got to get back to where I do better next time. I felt good, so that’s encouraging.”
Keller could have gotten out of the inning without allowing a run.
However, center fielder J.B. Shuck was turned around on a long fly ball by Eddie Rosario with two outs and it bounced over the fence on one hop for an RBI double. Rosario scored on Tyler Austin’s single.
Keller allowed three hits and had no walks or strikeouts.
The 22-year-old’s chances of making the team this spring are slim. He is expected to begin the season at Triple-A Indianapolis, where he finished last season.
Keller is rated as the 18th-best prospect in the game by Baseball Prospectus. MLBPipeline has him at No. 19 and Baseball America ranks him 26th. According to Baseball America, Keller has the best fastball, curveball and control in the Pirates’ farm system.
It marked the first time Keller started a Grapefruit League game. He pitched three innings of relief last spring when he came over from minor-league camp for one day.
“For sure,” Keller said when I asked if it was a big deal to start a game for the major-league team. “This time was really different. I had never come out of the bullpen until I pitched in that game last year. To get the start, be in that (pre-game) routine to fall back on and show what I can do is a great opportunity for me.”
• Non-roster reliever Brandon Maurer had a rough outing, getting only two outs and allowing four unearned runs in the fifth inning, as the Twins turned a 4-2 deficit into a 6-4 lead. The runs were unearned because of a throwing error by first baseman Will Craig.
Maurer was the Padres’ closer for a good part of 2017 season but had a 7.76 ERA in 37 games with the Royals last year.
Michael Feliz (two innings), J.T. Brubaker (two), Tyler Lyons (one), Yeudy Garcia (one) and Blake Weiman (1/3) all had scoreless outings.
• Granted, it’s just four games into the exhibition season. However, a Pirates catcher may not make a better defensive play the entire year than Steven Baron did in the first inning.
Baron reached over the railing in front of the Twins’ dugout on the third-base side to catch Mitch Garver’s popup, holding onto the ball as he wound up sliding down the dugout steps.
“That was the greatest catch I’ve ever seen,” Keller marveled. “He must have knocked down three buckets when he fell into the dugout.”
Giving ?
Steven Baron is ok! (and he made the catch) pic.twitter.com/v3c4kER80x
— Pirates (@Pirates) February 26, 2019
The Pirates signed Baron to a minor-league contract in the offseason. He’s played in just six major-league games in his career with the Mariners and Cardinals but has the reputation of being outstanding defensively.
• Non-roster outfielder Patrick Kivlehan is getting a long look in the early days of the Grapefruit League season. He started in left field Tuesday and hit his first home run of the spring while going 2-for-2 with a walk.
Last season, Kivlehan belted 20 home runs in 98 games for the Mets’ Triple-A Las Vegas farm club. He has played in the major leagues with the Padres, Reds and Diamondbacks, hitting .208/.302/.401 with 10 homers in 132 games.
Clint Hurdle said Kivlehan was one of the Pirates’ top targets on the minor-league free agent market over the winter.
Rookie outfielder Jason Martin also had two hits for the Pirates.
Erik Gonzalez, vying for the starting shortstop job with Kevin Newman, was hitless in three at-bats and struck out twice.
• The Pirates host the Blue Jays at 1:05 p.m. tomorrow in Bradenton with Clay Holmes getting his first start of the spring. Also scheduled to pitch are Francisco Liriano, Kyle Crick, Doyvdas Neverauskas, Aaron Slegers, Nick Burdi and Luis Escobar.
Right-hander Matt Shoemaker will start for Toronto.
Joining the radio broadcast team will be legendary hockey broadcaster and avid Pirates fan Mike “Doc” Emrick.