Pirates Prospects Players of the Week
Jared Jones led all hitters with three home runs, while Connor Wietgrefe led pitchers with one run in 10 innings across two starts.
The latest addition to the new PiratesProspects.com is a Player of the Week feature.
The feature is based off cumulative RE24 results from the previous week. The top hitter and top pitcher throughout the system are recognized each week, along with the top players at every level.
Since this scoring system is standard from week-to-week, you can find all previous 2026 weekly winners on the Stats page, along with the Player of the Month winners for April and May.
Each week, I want to use the Player of the Week feature to take a deeper look at the prospects who stood out that week.
Players of the Week 6/7/26
Jared Jones and Connor Wietgrefe were the Players of the Week for the week ending June 7th, 2026.
Jones was the Batter of the Week, going 8-for-25 with three homers, a double, nine RBIs, and six walks. The other Jared Jones, taken in the 9th rounder out of LSU in the 2025 draft, now has ten home runs on the season for Greensboro, with a .322/.429/.525 line.
What stands out from Jones so far is his power. The downside to that power is a 30.2% strikeout rate this season, which is paired wit a 15.6% walk rate. That three-outcomes approach is common with power hitters. Jones will face a big test when he moves up to Altoona, which will reveal how much the power is legitimate and how serious the swing and miss issues are against upper level pitchers. For now, he’s looking like a guy making a case to move up this year.
Wietgrefe was the Pitcher of the Week. The 24-year-old lefty made two starts, combining to give up one run on five hits in ten innings, with 13 strikeouts. Both starts were good, but the standout was a five shutout, one-hit outing on Sunday, in which he recorded six strikeouts and didn’t issue a walk.
Drafted in 2024 in the 7th round out of Minnesota, Wietgrefe spent most of the 2025 season in High-A Greensboro. There, he put up a 3.17 ERA in 108 innings, along with a 21.7% strikeout rate and good control to the tune of a 5.8% walk rate. The strikeout rate has been maintained in the jump to Double-A, and the walk rate has jumped a bit to a still respectable 9.4%. As a lefty starter, Wietgrefe could have a path to PNC Park in a bullpen role at least, as long as he maintains the quality K/BB rates.
Individual Level Standouts
Jones and Wietgrefe led the entire system, but each individual level had their own Players of the Week. Follow the links in the player names below to go to their Pirates Prospects player pages.
Indianapolis Batter: Billy Cook
Stats: 6-for-20, R, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 SB, BB
Cook opened the season in the Majors, but couldn’t stick after batting .190 with a .380 OPS in 21 plate appearances. He’s fared better in Triple-A, batting .283/.397/.472 with three home runs. Last week, he added three stolen bases to his production. He remains a depth option should the Pirates face future injuries to their outfield.
Indianapolis Pitcher: Antwone Kelly
Stats: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 HR
Kelly is probably the most significant player on this list when it comes to the big league scope. His numbers in Triple-A have shown promise, with the hope that he could help the MLB club this season. He has a 19.6% strikeout rate and a 10% walk rate in the Triple-A rotation, while throwing 97.4 MPH with the fastball. His secondary stuff looks quality, with a 31.6% whiff rate on 50 recorded cutters, and an impressive 62.5% whiff on 23 recorded changeups. Kelly could be one of the best internal solutions to the Pirates’ bullpen woes, and he’s already on the 40-man roster, making him a simple call-up away.
Altoona Batter: Lonnie White Jr.
Stats: 7-for-21, 5 R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 5 RBI, 2 SB, 3 BB
White has been one of the players who has stood out the most to me this season. Finally healthy, he’s hitting for the power that was promised when he was drafted out of high school in 2021. White started the season in Greensboro, hitting seven homers in 104 plate appearances. He’s continued that power in a more neutral environment in Altoona, with six homers in 123 PA, along with a .295/.398/.552 line. He’s got some strikeout issues with a 30.9% rate in Double-A, but he also walks at a 13.8% rate. He’s an early leader for Breakout Player of the Year.
Greensboro Pitcher: Kyle Robinson
Stats: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 0 HR
The Pirates added Robinson when they traded Alika Williams to the Athletics. In three starts for Greensboro, Robinson has recorded a 6.39 ERA, with a 16:5 K/BB ratio. The best start was this past week, which was also his best start of the season. The 22-year-old, who was drafted by the Athletics in the 11th round in 2024, made it to Double-A last year, but has spent most of this season back in High-A as a starter.
Bradenton Batter: Antonio Pimentel
Stats: 8-for-18, 4 R, 3 RBI, 4 SB, BB
I wrote about Pimentel recently when I broke down the Minor League Statcast Leaders. He stands out for his contact abilities and swing decisions, with a low chase rate and above-average contact rates. He also has speed. His 19 stolen bases rank third in the minor league system. The 20-year-old Pimentel added four steals last week, while going 8-for-18 with a walk. Signed out of the Dominican Republic for $250,000 in 2023, Pimentel made an aggressive jump from the DSL to A-ball this year, and has held his own in the process.
Bradenton Pitcher: Jeter Martinez
Stats: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 0 HR
The Pirates added Martinez in the Caleb Ferguson deal last year at the trade deadline. The 20-year-old is showing massive improvements in his second season at the Low-A level, with fewer hits allowed, and an increase in strikeouts. He sits around 93 MPH with his fastball, while having a 58.8% whiff on 44 recorded sliders, and a 45.5% whiff on 21 recorded changeups. Martinez stood out this week with eight strikeouts in six innings, which was his best start of the season, and tied his career high in strikeouts.
FCL Pirates Batter: Bralyn Brazoban
Stats: 4-for-12, 3 R, 2 3B, 4 RBI, 4 BB
Brazoban is another player I featured in that recent Minor League Statcast Leaders article. He stood out for his power results, which is encouraging, as that tool had been missing from the stat line the last two seasons. One of the biggest international signings in 2024, Brazoban received a $2 million bonus in part for his potential to eventually hit for power. One of the most promising signs in that area this season is his triples total in the spacious FCL parks. He added two last week, bringing his season total up to six. He had four triples across two seasons in the DSL. Brazoban is hitting .308/.395/.600 this season in the FCL, with his first two homers of his pro career.
FCL Pirates Pitcher: Irwin Ramirez
Stats: 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 0 HR
Ramirez is in his second season starting in the FCL. He’s shown improvements with his strikeout rate, while allowing a significant drop in hits. His walk rate is a problem, remaining at the same 17% level as last season. The start last week was a representation of his game this year. He only allowed one hit and no runs, but issued three free passes in five innings. The 19-year-old is still young and developing, with a strong 6’ 3” frame and a sinking fastball that sits 95.9 MPH.
DSL Pirates Batter: Jesus Lizardo
Stats: 5-for-12, 4 R, RBI, 2 SB, 4 BB
The DSL season began this past week, and Lizardo returned for his third season at the level. The 19-year-old catcher improved on his OBP last season, going from .297 to .356. He still had contact issues and lacked power. If he takes a step forward with the contact issues this year, it could be the final season for him in the Dominican. Last week was a good start toward that goal.
DSL Pirates Pitcher: Leudy Reyes
Stats: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 HR
Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2025, the 18-year-old Reyes is in his second season in the DSL. He struggled with an 8.14 ERA in relief last season, in part due to a 23% walk rate. He opened the season with 2.2 scoreless innings across two appearances, but walks were still an issue. He made up for them with four strikeouts.
One More Report
I want to use this weekly feature to point out a player each week who caught my eye, outside of the Players of the Week.
Carlos Mateo was signed for $800,000 in 2023 out of the Dominican Republic. He’s been at the FCL level since 2024, and has put up double-digit ERAs with a career 30.9% walk rate. Those results aren’t good.
What caught my eye was his fastball velocity, sitting at 99.9 MPH on 28 recorded pitches. Mateo hit 102.5 MPH this past week, while consistently pumping 100+ MPH in two shutout innings on Friday.
The control issues still exist, but are more periodic. Mateo has 10 of 16 walks this season in three of his 11 games. The biggest improvement he’s shown is a drop in his batting average against, down to .182. Amazingly, that’s a byproduct of a .400 BABIP.
The fastball has a 57.1% whiff rate. When he’s in the zone, he’s difficult to hit. Still only 20 years old, Mateo has one of the best arms in the lowest levels of the system. He’s also still very raw, but beginning to show signs of refining his pitching abilities.
Until the next time I go live…
-Tim Williams