A few more notes from Pirate City

This is from the past two days in minor league training camp. On Tuesday, the Pirates played a couple of intrasquad games, with AAA and AA players in one and rookie-level players in the other. On Wednesday, the Yankees came in for AAA and AA games. Somehow the whole time I’ve been here I’ve managed to miss nearly all of the class A players.

Chris Archer threw six innings on Tuesday against the AAA players. He mostly pitched well. Jason Martin came scored in the first after a double and, eventually, a wild pitch. Gregory Polanco fanned the first two times he faced Archer, but then hit a long, opposite field homerun with two aboard. Polanco played only an inning in the outfield on Tuesday but most of a game on Wednesday. His throwing looks OK, but he’s probably not going to be able to cut loose all year.

I saw Cole Tucker bat three times against the Yankees. He had a hard single to right and a popup. The third time up, batting left-handed, he hit a bullet right over second, but the shortstop was standing right behind the bag and caught it. I don’t know whether the Yankees were specifically shifting Tucker, which would be an interesting development, or just practicing a shift.

Ke’Bryan Hayes was back for the Yankees’ game. He tripled twice, both long drives to center.

Will Craig also was back from Tampa, but I missed most of his at-bats.

In the AA game today, Logan Hill was playing first base, which I hadn’t seen before.

Travis Swaggerty had been batting but not running out hits through yesterday. Up in Tampa today, though, I heard he was running the bases and having a good day at the plate, including a dinger.

And, finally, pics of probably the top two prospects just up from the Dominican Summer League who are currently in camp.