Where Pirates' top prospects will open minor-league season

If you are interested in following the Pirates’ prospects this year, or maybe even going to games, Altoona and Greensboro would be good places to start.

A day after a handful off affiliates promoted their opening day rosters, the Pirates made an official announcement Saturday providing the destinations for the organization’s players spread among all four minor league clubs.

"I'm excited, because the lifeblood of our organization is going to be development,” Derek Shelton said before Friday’s game about the return of minor-league baseball.

Going by Baseball America’s top 10 prospects in the Pirates' system, Oneil Cruz (No. 2 on the Pirates, 50th overall) will return to Altoona after spending the end of 2019 there and taking part in the 2020 alternate site camp. He will be joined by right-hander Cody Bolton, the No. 7 prospect.

Class High-A Greensboro has the largest collection of top 10 prospects, including infielders Nick Gonzales and Liover Peguero (No. 3 and 5), and right-handers Quinn Priester (No. 4) and Tahnaj Thomas (No. 8). 

Miguel Yajure (No. 10) will shift from the alternate training site to Indianapolis, where he'll be joined by Cole Tucker, who has spent the past month getting extra work in Florida. Outfielder Hudson Head (No. 6) and pitcher Brennan Malone (No. 9) will be the headliners at the Pirates’ Low-A affiliate in Bradenton.

The minor-league season starts May 4 for all levels. Ke’Bryan Hayes is still considered the Pirates’ top prospect since he has not shed his rookie status yet.

This offseason, the Pirates added 11 prospects through the Josh Bell, Joe Musgrove and Jameson Taillon trades, two of whom were Head and Yajure. David Bednar was another, and is currently pitching out of the Pirates’ bullpen.

Among the other eight, right-hander Eddy Yean, catcher Endy Rodriguez and infielder Maikol Escotto are going to Bradenton. Right-hander Roansy Contreras and outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba are heading to Altoona.

Pitcher Omar Cruz, who came over in the Musgrove trade, is headed to Greensboro with 2021 first-rounder Carmen Mlodzinski. Third and fifth-round pitchers Nick Garcia and Logan Hoffman will start in Bradenton. Fourth-round pick Jack Hartman is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will not pitch this season. Second-rounder Jared Jones and Drake Fellows, the other pitcher in the Musgrove deal, will not start the season on one of the four full-season rosters.

Right-hander Max Kranick and infielder Rodolfo Castro, the two prospects the Pirates protected from the Rule 5 draft last year, will begin in Altoona. Castro made his major-league debut last week, joining the Pirates on their latest road trip in Detroit.